Romeo and Juliet Redux
by Bloody Queen Mary
Summary: "I guess it all started on the first day of High School. Zack was being his usual, womanizing self, trying his luck with every girl in sight. It never bothered me before, but I felt something strange inside me that day. Jealousy."
1. I Think I Love You

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**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 1 - I Think I Love You**

**''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

I never thought I'd feel this way about anyone, let alone my twin brother…

I'm not exactly sure what to call these strange 'feelings' I've been experiencing lately. But I do know that they keep on getting stronger.

I don't think I'm allowed to call it love, though. Love is supposed to be sacred. Love is supposed to be pure. And the thoughts I've been having lately are definitely not pure…

I guess it all started on the first day of High School. Zack was being his usual, womanizing self, trying his luck with every girl in sight. It never bothered me before, but I felt something strange inside me that day. Jealousy.

But why was I jealous? And of whom? Was I jealous of Zack, for being everything I knew I'd never be? No. I was jealous of the girls.

I didn't know what was going on with me at the time, so I just pushed it to the back of my head. And as soon as my brain went into education mode, I forgot all about it. But not for long though…

Thankfully, the rest of the school day passed by without incident. By lunch time, I'd already made some new friends. They were of the intellectual kind – not unlike myself – and the discussions we had kept my brain occupied and free from any thoughts about that morning. Before I knew it, it was time to go home.

After we had finished our homework back at the hotel, it was almost dinner time. The Tipton was like a home to us, and we loved living there. Our mom, Carey Martin, had been offered a job as the lounge singer a few years before, and we ended up moving into our very own suite.

Mom had left us some revolting meatloaf she'd made earlier, as she had to perform that night. Needless to say, the 'meatloaf' she made ended up in the dustbin. I loved my mother dearly, but her cooking was absolutely atrocious…

After I fixed us some lasagna, Zack and I brushed our teeth and headed to the room we shared. I took a quick shower and plopped down on my bed with a book I'd been dying to finish. But for some reason I couldn't concentrate. Thoughts about that morning kept popping into my head. I kept thinking about that strange sense of jealousy I felt. I kept thinking about why I'd felt it. I kept thinking about Zack…

"Hellooo, earth to Cody…" I heard someone say as they waved a hand in front of my face.

"Zack? I thought you were in the shower?" I replied hazily, noticing my book had ended up on the floor.

"Uh, I finished like ten minutes ago. I've been trying to snap you out of that trance ever since… Everything okay?" he said, looking a little worried.

"Sure, everything's fine," I lied.

"Well, if you say so. Night Codes," he said before crawling under his covers.

"Goodnight," I replied, still not sure what was going on with me.

**''''''''''''''''**

That night, I had the strangest dream. I dreamt I was running away from something. I was too scared to look back, so I just kept on pushing forward. Finally, after what felt like hours of racing through the darkness, I saw a faint glimmer of light in the distance. As I kept getting closer, I noticed someone standing in a doorway - right where the light met the darkness.

"I know your secret, Cody Martin..." I heard the eerie figure whisper.

"What do you mean? What secret? Who are you?" I said, my voice shaking.

But there was no reply. The source of the eerie voice had completely vanished – along with the doorway to the light.

I felt terrified as I sat there in the pitch-black darkness. The words I'd just heard echoed through my head. What was going on? Was this still a dream? Everything felt so real…

The only thing I could do was shut my eyes tightly and sob…

**''''''''''''''''**

"Cody? Cody…?" I heard someone say, too scared to open my eyes.

"Seriously Codes, wake up. You're scaring me," the voice said again, sounding familiar now.

"Z, Zack?" I stuttered, hoping my brother had come to my rescue.

"Yep. You were having a bad dream. You okay?" he asked worriedly.

"I am now," I said as I threw my arms around him and pulled his body tightly against mine.

I wanted to stay like this forever. Zack was the only one that made me feel safe. The only one that would always protect me. I wanted nothing more than to stay in his arms for all eternity. But my dream was crushed when he finally broke the hug.

"Wow. You're acting like you haven't seen me in years. Are you feeling alright?" he said after staring at me for a while.

"Sorry. I was just really scared," I replied apologetically.

"No sweat. Wanna sleep in my bed?" he asked, knowing that I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep by myself.

"Thanks Zacky," I said as I gave him another quick hug.

"Any time," he smiled, leading me across the room.

Zack held me close as he drifted off to sleep, knowing that it would help calm me down. And it did. I couldn't stop smiling at the way he made me feel. So happy. So protected.

Sure, he teased me a lot. But when he was like this, he was simply amazing. He was my knight in shining armor. My Prince Charming. My Romeo...

Wait, what? Did I really just think that…? Am I dreaming again? Have I completely lost my mind? No, it can't be another dream; I haven't even closed my eyes yet. This is really happening. I'm falling in love with Zack.

I'm falling in love with my twin brother…


	2. Distance

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**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 2 - Distance**

**''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

After that night, I tried my best to forget about my new-found infatuation. It was wrong on so many levels, so I wanted to rid myself of these obscene feelings – or at the very least, suppress them. But I ended up failing miserably.

The more I tried to smother my obsession with my brother, the stronger it grew. I didn't know how much longer I'd be able to keep it a secret. So I tried to avoid Zack at all costs.

I ended up joining a bunch of extracurriculars. From mathletes, to chess club, to becoming a member of the student body. Everything I knew Zack would never dream about getting into.

And it worked. I was so preoccupied with all my after school activities that I didn't have time to think about my attraction to my brother. I had to stay after school quite often, so I didn't see him as much either. I went to bed early every night, and headed off to school before he was even awake. The only words we spoke to each other were around the dinner table. And even then I made sure that conversation was kept to the bare minimum.

I thought I'd found the perfect solution, so I let the new routine continue for a few more weeks. But never once did I consider how the distance I'd created made Zack feel. Until the day he decided to confront me about it, that is.

"What the hell, Cody? You're acting like I don't exist anymore. Did I do something wrong?" he demanded, his words totally catching me off guard.

"What do you mean?" I replied innocently.

"You're always asleep when I get out of the shower and you're never here when I wake up. You never even talk to me anymore. Why are you avoiding me?" he asked, sounding a little more hurt than angry.

'_Shit. What do I say? Should I tell him the truth?_' I thought to myself, my heart practically beating in my throat.

No. I can't. He'll hate me. I don't want him to hate me. I can't lose him.

I have to lie. I don't have a choice.

"I'm not. It's just that everything at school is keeping me so busy. I've had to adapt my schedule to fit in all the extracurriculars. Other than that, everything's fine," I told him, trying my best to sound believable.

"You're lying," he stated, quite matter-of-factly.

"Look Zack. I can't talk to you about this right now. Please don't be angry. It's not you, it's me…" I said lamely.

'_Wow, could I have been any more cliché?'_

"Fine. If you won't talk to me, I'll just have to find out myself," he miffed before turning out the lights.

'_Oh no,' _I thought to myself as I lay there in the darkness. '_What did I just get myself into?'_

**''''''''''''''''**

I found myself walking through an abandoned graveyard. There were gigantic spider webs clinging to the shattered tombstones that lay across the otherwise deserted plain. Immediately I wished that Zack was there to protect me. But he wasn't coming to my rescue any time soon. He was mad at me for hurting him. '_Ugh, I am such an idiot,' _I thought, mentally cursing myself_. 'And a terrible brother...'_

I continued to wallow in self-pity until I stumbled upon an eerie mansion. Who the heck builds a mansion in the middle of a graveyard, anyway? I tried knocking on the front door, but there was no answer. I rang the creepy-looking doorbell a few times, but still no one came. Then, just as I was about to give up, the door slowly creaked open - all by itself.

"Hello?" I tried calling, but to no avail. The mansion was just as empty as the graveyard had been. I decided to take a look around, since I had nowhere else to go. But as soon as I stepped inside, the door slammed shut behind me.

I ran up the intricate stairwell, my heart almost beating through my chest. I stopped just outside a gigantic doorway, trying to catch my breath. When I finally calmed down a bit, I forced myself to see what was on the other side.

As I walked through the doorway, I found myself standing in a brightly illuminated room. But before my eyes had time to adjust to my newfound surroundings, a sinister voice echoed off the walls.

"So, we meet again, Cody Martin," the voice rang out, emanating from somewhere deep within.

"Who are you? Why won't you leave me alone?" I implored, my voice shaking with fear.

"I'm your worst nightmare," it stated diabolically.

The sound of ominous laughter filled the air as everything around me went black…

**''''''''''''''''**

"Cody? Wake up, honey. You're gonna be late for school," I heard someone say as they shook me lightly.

"Mom? What's going on?" I asked, still confused from the creepy dream I'd just had.

"You overslept. Which is weird... But you should really get going if you want to get to school on time," she said, reminding me that I've never been late before.

I scurried around the room like someone possessed, trying to make myself look presentable. In the midst of all the madness, I noticed Zack was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Zack?" I asked my mom, who was now busy cleaning the living room.

"He left a while ago. Said something about a secret," she stated, wearing her signature thinking face. "He didn't look very happy, though. Did you two fight?"

"Nope. Gotta run. See you later mom," I replied as I practically ran for the door.

Great. Now I was lying to my mother, too.

"Kay. Have a great day at school, honey. Love you," she said, waving at me from the other side of the room.

"Love you," I shouted back before running down 23 flights of stairs to try and catch the school bus.


	3. School Play

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**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 3 – School Play**

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

I was so relieved when I saw the bus coming to a standstill just outside the lobby. I practically bolted through the revolving door, almost knocking over a few people along the way. Mildred, the bus driver, gave me a questioning look as I got on.

"Mornin' Cody. You look terrible. What happened?" she asked me after I took my usual seat just behind her.

"Overslept," I replied, still out of breath.

"Well, that's a first," she said, smiling her friendly smile.

I loved her smile. It was just one of those special smiles that always made you feel better, no matter what.

We ended up talking about the weather for a while. After a relatively short drive, we pulled up in front of the school with about fifteen minutes to spare.

"Here we go," she said as she pulled the lever, opening the door.

"Thanks Mildred. See you later," I said as I got off, beginning my search for Zack.

I started by checking out all his usual spots, but he wasn't in any of them. So I tried asking a few of his friends, but no one had seen him since yesterday.

Where could he be? What could he be up to…?

I just stood there, thinking, when my thoughts were rudely interrupted by the bell...

I finally found Zack sitting at his desk in homeroom. He smirked at me strangely as I took my seat beside him. Just as I was about to ask him where the hell he'd been, the teacher walked in.

Just my luck.

Since talking was now out of the question, I decided to write him a note.

_**What the hell? **_

_**Where have you been? **_

_**I've been looking everywhere for you!**_

After he'd finished reading it, he gave me that smirk again. Why the heck was he doing that? But, instead of being annoyed at him like I should have been, weird thoughts started forcing their way into my head again. I couldn't help myself from thinking he looked oddly sexy…

'_No. Stop that. Brothers aren't supposed to think of each other as sexy...'_ I though, trying to mentally reprimand myself.

Zack passed me a note back, putting my inner struggles on hold for the time being.

_**You'll find out soon enough…**_

Seriously? That's all he's gonna give me? Not even a clue?

This is just great.

After role call was done, the bell rang and everyone headed their separate ways for first period. I didn't see Zack for the first half of the day. We didn't have any classes together, on account of me taking A.P. everything...

When lunch time finally arrived, he was AWOL again. Now I was really starting to get worried. What on earth was he planning…?

I couldn't even concentrate on the debate my friends and I were having about Einstein's theory of relativity. I was so engulfed in my thoughts that I didn't even notice Barbara asking my opinion on something. Until she smacked me against the head, that is.

"Ouch! What was that for?" I demanded angrily.

"Well, I had to do something. You looked like you were comatose…" she replied, a little concerned.

"Next time try waving a hand in front of my face!" I fumed.

"You just thank your lucky stars I didn't have a bucket of cold water on me!" she retorted.

Barbara was really smart, but her fuse was a little on the short side.

"Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind," I said glumly.

"What's wrong?" she asked, sounding concerned again.

I thought about telling her everything. I really needed to hear someone else's point of view regarding my _dilemma_. And maybe she'd even be able to help.

After seriously considering coming clean to Barbara for a few seconds, I decided against it. If I couldn't even look myself in the mirror for the things I've been feeling, how could I expect anyone else to understand?

"It's nothing, really. I'm just worried about college…" I tried, hoping she'd buy it.

"Oh, come on! Do you really expect me to believe that? College is still four years away! If you don't want to talk about what's bothering you, just say so. _Don't_ insult my intelligence by lying to me!" she yelled as she gave me another smack, storming off.

The rest of us just sat there, amazed, as she barged out of the cafeteria. I turned a vibrant shade of red as soon as I realized that everyone was now staring at me.

"Smooth move, Cody..." Stefani, another one of my friends, said sarcastically, finally breaking the awkward silence.

I felt relieved as everyone just laughed. At least no one else was mad at me. But I was going to have to apologize to Barbara later.

The rest of the day dragged by. It wasn't until last period that I remembered auditions for the school play were being held today. I'd decided to sign up for our school's production of Romeo and Juliet a few days ago, thinking it would give me another excuse to spend less time with Zack.

After the school day was finally done, I made my way over to the auditorium.

We weren't being allowed to audition for specific parts, though. Ms Millitich, the director, thought it would be better to give everyone a short act to perform, before deciding which part was best suited for them. It didn't really matter to me, since I was only there for the distraction anyway.

I arrived early, as usual. So I decided to just take a seat and wait for everyone else to show up. Imagine my surprise when I came across the one person I didn't expect to find. The very person I was trying to avoid by being here in the first place…

"'Sup Codes?" said the all too familiar voice, causing me to stop dead in my tracks.

I just stood there, like a statue, unable to speak.

What the hell was he doing here? How did he know where to find me?

"Didn't expect to see me here, did you?" he asked rhetorically, smirking once more.

I still didn't know what to say. I tried to study his face for answers, but instead I got lost in his eyes. His beautiful, majestic, electric blue eyes…

"What? Do I have something on my face?" he asked, snapping me out of my daze.

"What are you doing here?" I finally managed to ask, ignoring his question.

"Auditioning," he replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why?" I asked again, still very much confused.

"Well, I figured since you were avoiding me, I'd just find out what you were up to. I thought that maybe I'd be able to figure out why you've been blowing me off lately," he stated, rather stoically.

"Oh..." was all I could say.

Just then, Ms Millititch arrived, saving me from the awkward moment. I couldn't face Zack now, I didn't have anything prepared. And I certainly couldn't speak from the heart. That would surely end in disaster.

She handed everyone their scripts, and announced that we'd have a ten minute break to rehearse.

Auditions came and went, lasting about five minutes each. There were good ones, bad ones, and utterly horrifying ones. Zack totally nailed his, though. I couldn't believe it. I never knew he had it in him. Not only was he beyond beautiful, he could do Shakespeare, too…

I couldn't stop myself from staring. I was so captivated by his performance – and his overwhelming amount of sex appeal – that I didn't even notice Ms Millititch calling me to the stage. I just continued to gawk at him as he finally disappeared behind the curtain.

"Cody Martin! I've already called your name three times - don't make me do it a fourth!" Ms Millititch's voice boomed through the speakers.

I practically ran up the steps to the stage, fearing another outburst.

For some reason, I was extremely nervous. Maybe it had something to do with Zack's amazing performance. I knew I'd never be able to top it. But I still tried my best though, under the circumstances.

In the first few minutes, I stuttered awkwardly, my leg twitching every now and again. Only towards the end did I finally regain my composure. But by then it was too late…

"What happened? You totally blew the audition," Zack asked as soon as I joined him backstage.

"Don't know. Stage fright, I guess," I replied glumly.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll do great in the play," he said, trying to make me feel better.

"Do you honestly think Ms Millititch is gonna cast me as anything?" I asked, still feeling disappointed.

He didn't reply. Instead, he just hugged me reassuringly. I realized I hadn't hugged Zack for more than a month. And then I remembered why. It took every ounce of self-control I had not to kiss him. I just held on to him, trying to enjoy every moment as I knew it wouldn't last much longer.

He let go of me a few seconds later, smiling his beautiful smile. All I could do was smile back and try not to lose myself in his eyes again.

Just then, Ms Millititch called everyone back to the stage.

"Thank you all for auditioning. Unfortunately, some of you didn't make the final cut. But we appreciate your enthusiasm nevertheless," she said, as if speaking directly to me.

"The role of Romeo will be played by Zackary Martin," she announced proudly.

I gave Zack a congratulatory smile, loving the shocked look that was on his face. He clearly had no idea how brilliant he was.

When the applause finally calmed down, she spoke again.

"The role of Juliet goes to Stefani Knight," she stated, her words followed by some more applause.

Wow, I didn't even notice her audition. Maybe I was lost in another daydream about Zack… I smiled as she curtsied to the nonexistent audience.

The role of Benvolio goes to Mark Steelman, and Mercutio will be played by Trent Whitaker," she said, wrapping up the main cast.

"The list of supporting cast members will be posted on the message boards tomorrow morning, along with the list of understudies. Once again, thank you to everyone for your participation. Oh, and Cody, could I see you for a minute?" Ms Millititch said as everyone started to leave.

'_Uh oh,' _I thought to myself._ 'This can't be good…'_

"You wanted to see me?" I asked, sitting down in the seat next to Ms Millititch's.

"Yes. I need to know if you're serious about this play," she said fervently.

To tell the truth, I wasn't really sure. At first I just wanted to audition to spend time away from Zack. But after realizing that I actually hurt him by creating so much space between us, I wasn't so sure if that's what I wanted anymore.

I didn't want to hurt him any more than I already had. If spending time with me would make him happy, then that's what we'll do. I'd just have to learn to hide my emotions a little better.

"Yes. I would really love to be in the play. I know my audition wasn't too great, but I promise I'll be better," I said, almost pleading.

"I know. There's just one little problem - all the male roles have already been cast," she said, slightly emphasizing the word 'male'.

"Oh," I replied, not really catching on.

"You see, what I'm trying to tell you, is that due to the lack of girls turning up for the audition, I don't have anyone to play Juliet's understudy yet."

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. How could I be Juliet's understudy? What would people say?

"I'd understand if you're not up to it. But sometimes, in theatre, you have to make sacrifices," she stated plainly.

This is just too weird. I need more time.

"Could I think about it?" I asked, my confusion undoubtedly evident on my face.

"Sure. You have the rest of the day. Come see me in my office first thing tomorrow morning," she replied, offering me a reassuring smile.

'_Wow,'_ I thought as I began making my way outside. _'This was going to be a __**long**__ night…'_


	4. Why Don't You Love Me?

**''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 4 – Why Don't You Love Me?**

**''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

When I walked out of the auditorium, I found Zack waiting for me.

"What was that about?" he asked inquisitively.

I don't think I should tell him yet. He'll probably just make fun of me.

"She just told me not to worry too much about my audition," I replied, not really lying.

"Oh. Is she gonna let you be in the play?" he asked again.

Oh crap. What should I say now?

"We're going to talk more tomorrow," I told him, trying my best not to let anything else slip.

He just nodded as we walked out the front gate, back to the hotel.

When we arrived half an hour later, we were greeted by an uncharacteristically cheerful Maddie. She'd been working at the hotel's candy counter since we moved in a couple of years ago.

"Hey guys. How was school?" she asked when she saw us coming towards her.

"Hey sweet thang," Zack replied, flashing his perfectly white teeth at her.

Zack has always had a crush on Maddie, from the first day he laid eyes on her. He was always trying to win her affections. And even though he knew she'd never reciprocate his feelings, he never stopped trying.

As he continued to blatantly flirt with her, I felt that strange sense of jealousy reemerge. It stung me right in the chest. I didn't want Zack to love Maddie; I wanted him to love me. At least I would return the favor.

I waited for them to finish, but they never did. After a while, I couldn't take it anymore. So I just picked up my bag and headed for the elevator.

As soon as the door closed, I was left with only my thoughts for company. I remembered that I still had to think about Miss Milllititch's offer, but I was too upset right now. All I could think about was how angry I was at Maddie. She had no idea how lucky she was. I'd give anything to be her.

Everything would've been so much easier if I were a girl. Maybe then Zack would love me.

I finally got off the elevator, pushing the thoughts to the back of my head. As I entered the suite, I saw a note on the kitchen table.

_Show tonight, won't be home before 11PM._

_Be good._

_Oh, and Cody, could you please feed your brother?_

_Thanks, honey!_

_Love_  
><em>Mom<em>

'_Thank goodness. No putrid meatloaf this time.'_ I thought to myself, letting out a sigh of relief.

I dropped my bag next to the kitchen table and started dinner. After about fifteen minutes, Zack finally arrived.

"Hmmm… Smells good. What is it?" He asked, almost drooling.

"Pot au feu," I replied proudly.

"Where's mom?" He asked, not even noticing my perfect French accent.

"She has a show tonight, won't be back until late," I replied, a little discouraged.

He just nodded and headed for the bathroom.

When he came back, dinner was just about done. We ate in utter silence. After a while, the dead air became unbearable. I had to say something.

"Zack? Are you still mad at me?" I asked, trying to avoid his eyes.

"'Course not. Why would you think that?" he asked back, a little surprised.

"It's just that you've been so quiet," I replied, still making as little eye contact as possible.

"Just been thinking about some stuff, that's all," he said reassuringly.

"I'm really sorry about the last couple of weeks. But I'll make it up to you. I promise," I told him, hoping it would clear the air between us.

"Don't worry about it. I know how carried away you can get when it comes to school," he said, smiling his beautiful smile.

I smiled back, finally losing myself in his majestic eyes. Luckily he went back to eating, so he didn't notice my blatantly obvious stare.

After cleaning up the kitchen, we proceeded to do our homework. Every now and then, I'd sneak a look at Zack, secretly admiring his angelic face. I studied every little detail. I tried to find any imperfections, but I failed. He was perfect.

Somehow my eyes had made their way towards his lips. I wanted nothing more than to feel them against my own. I longed for them to speak the words I so desperately wanted to hear. But I knew that that would never happen.

Pretty soon I lost my train of thought again, and my eyes glued themselves to my brother once more.

"Uh, Cody? Why are you staring at me?" I suddenly heard Zack ask, nearly giving me a heart attack.

Oh no. I'd been caught red handed.

"Sorry. I must have been daydreaming again," I replied, trying to play it cool.

"You've been acting really weird lately. Are you sure everything's okay?" he asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

'_No, everything's not okay. I'm completely and irrevocably in love with you!' _

I wanted to say those words so badly. But I knew I'd lose him forever if I did. So, instead, I lied again.

"Maybe I'm just tired. I think I'll turn in early tonight," I said as I got up from the table.

There was an awkward silence as I felt his eyes studying my body language for answers.

"Okay then. Night Codes," he said, finally deciding to let it go.

"Goodnight," I replied, letting out a sigh of relief as soon as I closed our bedroom door behind me.

That was close. I was going to have to be more careful.

**''''''''''''''''**

I found myself in the middle of a beautiful meadow. Rainbow colored flowers were scattered everywhere, and a stream of crystal clear water was running right through the middle of the majestic scene.

As I approached the stream, the water suddenly turned blood red. The meadow started morphing into a desolate field, with the beautiful flowers all being replaced by wilted black roses.

I tried desperately to wake myself up, knowing this was another nightmare. I knew it was only a matter of time before the diabolical voice would return.

I cried out Zack's name over and over, begging him to help me. But it was too late. I froze as I heard the voice speak.

"So, we meet again," it said, sending chills down my spine.

"Leave me alone!" I yelled, continuing to cry out Zack's name…

**''''''''''''''''**

When I opened my eyes, Zack was holding me. He held me tightly, trying to calm me down.

"Shh, it's only a dream," he said as he rocked me back and forth.

"I'm sorry," I said, looking up at him.

"It's okay. Do you wanna tell me about these dreams you've been having?" he asked, sounding really concerned.

"Can we talk about it later?" I asked him, hoping he'd just forget.

I didn't want to talk to him about something I hadn't even figured out myself yet.

"Sure," he replied, releasing me from his grip.

"Can I…?" I asked, knowing he'd understand.

"Of course," he replied, smiling smugly.

After lying down beside Zack, I felt so happy again. So safe. Even though I knew my love for him was wrong, I couldn't help it. I tried to suppress my feelings, but they just ended up getting stronger. I just lay there, admiring my beautiful sleeping twin.

A few minutes later, a light snore escaped his mouth. I searched for his hand underneath the blankets, smiling contently as I found it. I held onto it for dear life, never wanting to let go.

But it wasn't enough. I still felt as though he was too far away. So I moved as close to him as I possibly could, laying my head down on his chest. Everything just felt so right. It all just fit so perfectly. I wished that there was a way to make Zack love me too.

I finally fell asleep, still holding my brother's hand.


	5. To Be or Not to Be: Part 1

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 5 – To Be or Not to Be… Part 1**

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

When I woke up the next morning, I was still holding Zack's hand. I instantly felt euphoric again. But I was afraid of what he'd do if he woke up. So I slowly untangled my hand from his, trying my best not to wake him.

My heart stopped when I heard him mumble something unintelligible. Thankfully he just turned around, obviously still asleep. I took a quick glance at the clock, noticing it was still only 05:30.

I made my way over to the bathroom, practically tiptoeing. Zack looked so peaceful when he was asleep. So angelic. I couldn't allow myself to disturb him.

After closing the door as quietly as I possibly could, I slowly turned the handle, waiting for the water to warm up. As I stood there, I suddenly remembered something. I'd never given a single thought to Ms Millititch's proposal.

Ugh. Stupid Cody.

I got in the shower, wincing at the warm water making contact with my skin. As I started washing my hair, I thought about what I should do. If I accepted her offer, I'd get to spend more time with Zack. Which is what he wanted. I think.

But what would he say about me playing a girl? What would everyone else say? I'd probably be the laughing stock of the school.

I toweled off, still debating with myself. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

As I walked through the door, I noticed Zack was still asleep. God, he was beautiful.

I headed for my dresser and pulled on a pair of green boxer briefs. I grabbed my favorite pair of jeans and a plain green shirt before heading back to the bathroom.

After brushing my teeth, I made some breakfast. A few minutes later, Zack walked out of the bedroom, smiling.

"Wow, that smells great," he said excitedly.

"Thanks," I replied, returning his smile.

I forced myself to look away before I became entranced again.

After finishing breakfast, I decided to ask Zack what he thought about this whole Juliet thing. He was the only reason I was even considering this, so I had to know if he'd at least appreciate the public humiliation I'd bring upon myself for his sake.

"Zack?" I started, not really sure what to say.

"Yeah Codes?" he replied, noticing the uncertainty in my voice.

"Ms Millititch offered to make me Juliet's understudy in the school play," I said, expecting him to burst into laughter.

"Really? That's cool," he said, not seeming fazed at all.

"So you don't think it would be weird?" I asked, a little confused.

"Why would I? It's not like you're gonna have to dress up like a girl or anything," he replied.

"So you think I should do it?" I asked again, still shocked by his approval.

"Definitely. It'll be fun", he said, giving me a half smile.

Wow. I guess I'm gonna be Juliet's understudy then.

I stole a few glances at Zack as he left to get ready.

"Where the heck is mom?" I heard him ask from somewhere within the bathroom.

That's right, mom's not here. I hadn't even noticed. I remembered she said something about visiting a friend a couple of days ago. Something about a broken leg.

"She's visiting a friend," I told him, clearing the table.

"Oh," he replied as he came out of the bathroom, wearing only a towel.

I swore my jaw dropped when I saw his half naked body. Words could not describe the utter beauty I saw before me. I literally had to put my hand in front of my eyes to stop myself from staring.

"You okay?" he asked, clearly confused by my random action.

"Just something in my eye," I replied lamely.

He just shrugged it off and left for our bedroom. I tried to recompose myself before he came out. I'm really gonna have to work on these lapses in judgment I've been experiencing. If I don't get my act together, he'll start suspecting something soon…

I brushed my teeth again, waiting for Zack to finish. When I got out of the bathroom, he still wasn't ready. I headed for the bedroom door to find out what was taking so long. But just as I was about to knock, I heard his voice from within the room.

"Okay. I'll see you later. You too, babe," he said, apparently talking to someone on the phone.

I don't know what came over me. But as soon as I heard those words, tears started streaming down my face. I ran from the room, not wanting Zack to hear me cry.

As I darted through the corridors, I literally crashed into London Tipton, the filthy rich air headed heiress. Her 'daddy', as she so often called him, owned the hotel - and all of Tipton Enterprises.

"Gasp! Why'd you knock me over, Cody?" she asked, clearly offended.

"Sorry London," I replied, hoping she wouldn't notice my tear stained cheeks.

"Are you crying?" she asked, uncharacteristically concerned.

"No," I lied.

"You know Cody. I may not be smart, but I know a few things when it comes to relationships. No boy is worth crying over," she said, her words catching me off guard.

"How did you know I'm in love with a boy?" I asked, confused.

"You're in love with a boy? Gasp!" she replied, even more shocked than I was.

"What? I thought you just said… Never mind. Just, please don't tell anyone," I asked her, almost begging.

"Don't worry Zack, you're secret's safe with me," she replied, flashing her pearly whites.

"Uh, I'm Cody…" I said, trying to correct her, but she'd already left.

I decided to take the stairs again, thinking it would give me more time to think.

The first thing that popped into my head was the phone call. Who was Zack talking to? Why didn't he tell me he's been seeing someone? Why couldn't he just love me instead...?

I thought about who it might be, but I couldn't think of anyone. Since I'd been avoiding Zack for weeks, I had no idea what was happening in his personal life. I silently cursed myself as I reached the lobby.

As I walked by the candy counter, I decided to ask Maddie if she knew anything.

"Maddie, do you know if Zack's seeing someone?" I asked her, hoping she wouldn't hear the hurt in my voice.

"Zack? I don't remember him saying anything. Why do you ask?" she replied, looking at me worriedly.

"It's just, I don't know," I said, more tears escaping from my eyes.

"Cody? What's wrong?" she asked, hugging me.

I just had to tell her. I couldn't deal with this alone anymore. And Maddie was the most understanding person I knew. If she didn't understand, no one would.

"Promise not to tell anyone?" I asked her, feeling like a fifth grader.

"Scout's honor," she replied, leading me over to the sofa.

"I'm in love with… Someone," I said as we sat down, not yet ready to admit the truth.

"And is this someone anyone I know?" she asked, deciding to play along.

"Yes," I replied, looking up at her.

"There's nothing wrong with being in love with someone. Even if it is your brother," she said reassuringly.

"But, isn't it wrong?" I asked, a little shocked by her acceptance.

"Some people might think so. But we have no control over who our hearts choose to love. We just have to deal with it," she said, giving me a big smile.

"But how _do_ I deal with it?" I asked, wiping away some tears.

"By doing nothing. If it's meant to be, it'll be. But if you try to force your feelings onto Zack, you'll probably end up losing him. Just give it time. And if your feelings start to fade, you'll know it wasn't true love," she replied, giving me another smile.

"But what if they don't?" I asked, skeptical as always.

"Well, if he doesn't realize that he has feelings for you, too, then you're probably gonna get your heart broken," she replied seriously.

Maddie was right, as always.

"Thanks, Maddie," I told her, giving her a quick hug before making my way out the front door. The bus wasn't there yet, so I decided to wait for Zack. I had to confront him about the phone call.

He came down a few minutes later, looking incredible. He definitely put in some extra effort today. He even smelled irresistible.

"There you are! Why'd you leave without me?" he asked, a little irked.

"Sorry. Just had to get some fresh air," I said, trying to look away.

"Oh. Looks like the bus is running late," he said, looking at his watch. "Wanna walk?"

"Sure," I replied, thinking it'd be the perfect opportunity to talk.

After building up some courage for a few minutes, I decided to break the silence.

"Who were you talking to this morning?" I asked, trying to sound as apathetic as I possibly could.

"You were eavesdropping?" he asked back, looking angry again.

"No. I just heard you say goodbye to someone, that's all," I said, trying to look apologetic.

"Well, it's none of your fucking business!" he yelled before storming off.

I just stood there, trying to figure out what the hell just happened.


	6. To Be or Not to Be: Part 2

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 6 – To Be or Not to Be… Part 2**

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

I felt like crying again, but the tears never came. I was too stunned. Why did Zack explode like that? Why did he hate me all of a sudden? Is it because he knows that I'm in love with him?

No. He wouldn't even speak to me if that were the case. It had to be something else. But what?

I suddenly felt someone's hand on my shoulder, trying to shake me back to reality.

"Cody? Are you okay? You've been standing here for like half an hour…" I heard a familiar voice say.

"Oh. Hi Barbara. I was just thinking," I replied, the sadness evident in my voice.

"Must've been some pretty deep thoughts. You were totally out of it," she said, a little concerned.

"I guess... Can we talk about this later? My head hurts," I told her, hoping she'd leave.

I know she meant well, but I just couldn't deal with this right now.

"Okay. I'll see you later then," she said, leaving me with my own thoughts again.

I made my way over to Ms Millitich's office, remembering I had to meet her before school. The corridors were pretty much deserted, since everyone was still hanging around outside. After knocking awkwardly on the door, I turned the handle, peeping inside.

"Ah, Cody. So glad you could make it," Ms Millititch said invitingly, sounding as friendly as anyone possibly could.

"Good morning," I replied, trying to return her exaggerated smile.

"So, did you think about my proposal?" she asked, not wasting any time.

This was it. If I said yes now, there would be no turning back. But Zack wants me to do it, so I will. Maybe if we spent more time together, he wouldn't be angry with me anymore. Maybe he reacted the way he did because he was still mad about the fact that I ignored him for more than a month. If being Juliet's understudy was going to give me a chance to fix things between Zack and me, I had to take it.

"I did. If the offer still stands, I accept," I told her, almost regretting the words as soon as they left my vocal tract.

"Wonderful. Then I'll see you at rehearsal this afternoon," she said, smiling even wider now.

I nodded politely before leaving. I decided to make my way over to homeroom, seeing there was about five minutes left before class started.

I expected the classroom to be empty, since no one usually came in before the bell rang. But instead, I found Zack. And Stefani. Passionately making out on her desk.

My mind was totally overrun with thoughts. I felt things I didn't know I was capable of feeling. Anger. Jealousy. Even hate. I wanted nothing more than to strangle her. She was one of my best friends. How could she do this to me?

I dropped my bag on the ground, startling them.

"Cody? What are you doing here?" Zack asked, as if he'd just been caught committing a crime.

I didn't answer. Instead, I simply walked over to my desk and calmly sat down. I didn't even spare a single look in their direction. I knew I wouldn't be able to handle it.

Luckily, the bell went off before either of them could give me a fake apology. I saw Zack sitting down beside me just as the teacher came in. I forced myself not to look at him, knowing I'd just get lost in his eyes and forget about his betrayal.

I could feel him staring at me, obviously wanting to talk. But I couldn't. I hated him right now. I hated him for loving someone else. I hated him for not loving me...

But I couldn't avoid him forever.

As soon as homeroom ended, he practically dragged me into the bathroom before I could make my escape.

"Zack, I'm going to be late for class," I objected, staring at the floor.

"I don't care," he said coldly.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, almost yelling.

"Look. I'm sorry about this morning. I just didn't know how to tell you about me and Stefani. I know you have a thing for her," he replied repentantly.

"What? That was like a year ago! Long before I fell in love with…" I burst out, stopping myself just in time.

Wow. That was close.

"With who?" he asked, sounding confused.

"No one. Just forget it," I said, wishing the ground would just open up and swallow me.

"Come on, tell me. Maybe I can put in a good word for you…" he said, flashing that obnoxious grin of his.

_'Yeah right…'_ I thought to myself, silently appreciating his brotherly gesture.

"I can't tell you. Can we just please go to class now?" I asked him, a little irritated.

"Whatever you say, baby bro," he replied, putting his arm around me.

After Zack walked with me to A.P. Government, I watched him disappear around the corner. At least things between us were okay again. I couldn't really blame him for dating Stefani, since he didn't know I was madly in love with him. But for some reason, I still hated _her_.

I was relieved to find the teacher wasn't in class yet. I sat down next to Barbara, who gave me a questioning look.

"Where were you? You're never late…" she said, as if it could be front-page news in tomorrow's paper.

I secretly shot daggers at Stefani, who was sitting in the front row, before answering.

"Just had some stuff to sort out," I told her, before taking out my textbook to do some revision.

Thankfully I didn't have any more classes with that vixen. Every time I saw her, I just wanted to rip her heart out. Or feed her to the soul-sucking piranhas in the river Styx... That's how much I hated her right now.

When lunchtime came, I headed for the cafeteria. Today was pizza day, so I was really excited. I sat down on my usual spot with Barbara and the others.

"Hey Cody. Have you seen Stefani?" I heard Barbara ask, grimacing as she said her name.

'_She's probably with Zack, trying to suck his face off,'_ I thought to myself.

"Not since this morning," I answered, trying to compose myself.

"She's been acting really secretive lately…" she stated, more to herself than to me.

I ignored her comment, taking a bite of my pizza. After I finally managed to change the subject to something a little more thought provoking, time practically flew by.

Unfortunately, the rest of the day crept by slowly. I couldn't stop thinking about _her_. About how jealous I was of her. About how I wanted to _be _her…

And then it struck me. The perfect idea. The perfect solution. If something were to happen to poor little Juliet, I _would_ be her…

An evil smile spread across my face as I started contemplating her demise.


	7. Understudies

I believe some thank you's are in order... Haha.

Thank you ilovesprouse and KatrinaEagle for your awesome reviews. Also, a special thank you to Whowouldhavethought for reviewing four times. Really appreciate it!

And of course big thank you's to Whowouldhavethought, Sprouse, coolvampgirl and Uchiha 'Karite' Shikyo for favoriting/story alerting...

In this chapter, Cody makes a new friend, and more chaos ensues...

I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Although I wish I did... :P  
>I do, however, own (and love) the OC Ryan Sharp introduced in this chapter.<p>

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 7 – Understudies**

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

As I made my way over to the auditorium, I went through my almost perfect plan in my head. I replayed every possible scenario in my mind, weighing the pros and cons of each one. I knew I couldn't make Zack love me, but at least I could make him not love _her_…

Every now and again, a little voice in the back of my mind would tell me that what I was doing was wrong. But I ignored it. I had to. I knew my conscience was right, but I had to try and give myself a chance with Zack. And being Juliet was the only way.

Just when I passed the girls' bathroom, someone walked out and crashed right into me.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" I heard Stefani's high-pitched voice numbing my brain.

Great. Just what I needed. I forced myself to put on a fake smile before answering.

"I'm fine. You?" I asked back, trying to be as polite as I possibly could.

"Yup," she replied with a smile, motioning for me to walk with her.

I had no choice but to go along. Since we were both heading the same way, I didn't have a decent excuse to refuse. So I just went along with it, trying to keep myself from strangling her. After a few moments of blissful silence, she spoke.

"About what you saw this morning…" she started, waiting for me to react.

"Can we not talk about this? What you and my brother get up to in your free time is none of my business," I told her, slightly irritated.

She just nodded, sensing I had no interest in continuing this conversation.

"So, I heard you're gonna be my understudy," she said, breaking the silence once again.

"Yup," I replied for lack of a better word.

'_But not for long…_' I thought to myself, smiling devilishly.

"Won't it be awkward though?" she asked, a little confused.

"I guess. But that's the whole point of the theatre. Never a dull moment," I replied, quoting Ms. Millititch.

She just smiled as we finally entered the auditorium.

"Well, good luck," she said as we went our separate ways.

"You too," I replied, forcing myself to smile once more.

I made my way over to the other understudies who were standing in their own little corner backstage. Ms. Millititch handed us our scripts and told us to memorize our lines. A few minutes later, I noticed someone approaching me.

"Hi. I'm Ryan, Romeo's understudy," the unfamiliar boy said, smiling brilliantly.

"I'm Cody," I replied, shaking his hand.

"So. The director tells me that you'll be playing my understudy love interest," he said, another brilliant smile spreading across his face.

"I guess so," I replied, blushing slightly.

I had absolutely no idea what was happening.

Luckily Ms. Millititch arrived, saving me from the awkward moment.

"I see you've met," she said, giving both of us a smile.

"We have," replied Ryan confidently.

"I hope you two get along, since you'll be working together pretty closely from now on," she told us, her tone turning a bit serious.

"I'm sure we will," Ryan answered, flashing a smile in my direction.

I was really starting to like his smile.

Ms. Millititch nodded approvingly before making her way towards the others. I turned back to Ryan, who was still smiling brilliantly.

"So, tell me a little bit about yourself," he said curiously.

"What would you like to know?" I asked him, not really sure what to say.

"Where are you from?" he asked back, starting with the basics.

"Boston," I replied. "And you?"

"Nebraska," he said, smiling again.

As we continued talking, learning more and more about each other, I started to forget about Stefani. The hate that had welled up inside me started to disperse. I felt happy. Content even.

But I knew it wouldn't last forever. As soon as I was alone again the feelings would return. As long as Stefani Knight was in the picture, I would never be able to truly smile.

"So, are you seeing anyone?" I heard Ryan ask, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Uh, not really," I replied, not wanting to tell him I was waiting for my twin brother to realize that he was madly in love with me... "How about you?" I asked back.

"Nope. I'm as free as a bird," he said, flashing me another smile.

Why did I like his smile so much?

Just as I was about to get lost in my thoughts again, Zack showed up.

"Hey Codes. Mind if I steal my understudy for a minute?" he asked, trying to look apologetic.

"Sure. As long as you don't turn him into another Zack. One of you is bad enough," I replied mockingly.

Before I went and fell in love with twin my brother, we used to mock each other all the time. But we haven't done that all too much lately. I just wanted things to go back to normal again.

"Ha. Funny," he said sarcastically.

Ryan gave me another smile before turning to leave with Zack.

When I glanced down at my watch, I noticed it was 5PM already. I started to gather up my things, knowing Zack would want to leave as soon as he and Ryan were done.

I went through my lines some more, waiting for them to finish. But I was rudely interrupted by a voice I was seriously beginning to despise.

"Hey understudy," Stefani said, making me grimace.

"Hi," I replied coldly.

"So, I was thinking. If we're studying for the same role, we should probably study together some time," she said, smiling.

_'What the hell? Why would I want to put myself through that kind of torture?'_ I thought to myself.

But then another idea sprang into my head. If I could get close to her, it would be so much easier to sabotage her little 'career'…

"That makes sense," I told her, trying to hide my awry smile.

"Great. Come to my house tomorrow morning," she said before skipping away.

Why was she so happy about this? Something didn't feel right. But my thoughts were put on hold when I saw Ryan coming back.

"Hi," I greeted him, smiling a bit too enthusiastically.

"Hey," he replied, also smiling.

Wow. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to his smile. It's just so, I don't know, enchanting…

"Zack asked me to tell you that he's gonna walk Stefani home, so you shouldn't wait for him," I heard Ryan say.

"Well that's just great," I said, a little annoyed.

"I could always walk with you," he said, erasing my anger with another brilliant smile.

"Well, where do you live?" I asked, not wanting him to go out of his way for me.

"I'm actually staying at the St. Mark hotel while our house is being renovated," he replied.

"Really? That's so cool. Then you live right across the street from me," I said excitedly.

"You're staying at the Tipton?" he asked, also stunned by the coincidence.

"My mom's the lounge singer. We practically live there," I told him, still smiling.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" he said, grabbing his bag.

As we walked up the street, we got to know each other a little more. He told me things about his previous school, why they moved here, even about his childhood. I was really starting to like his company. I was actually sad when we finally reached the hotel.

"Well, this is me," I said lamely.

"So... Do you wanna do something tomorrow?" he asked, flashing his pearly whites once more.

"Sure," I replied before giving him my number.

"Great. I'll call you," he said, flashing his gorgeous smile one last smile.

And then it happened. He kissed me. Right on the lips.

"Goodnight," he said before making his way across the street.

Oh. My. God. What just happened?


	8. Butterflies

It's me again... :)

ilovesprouse, KatrinaEagle, KageNekoReborn, Vampwolf13 and Whowouldhavethought - thank you so much for the great reviews! You guys are awesome!

Chapter 8 is kind of a filler. And also one of my favorite chapters so far...

Happy reading!

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did... :P

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 8 – Butterflies**

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

I must've stood there for at least half an hour. I was finally woken up from my daze when I heard Zack's voice.

"Cody? What are you still doing outside?" I heard him ask before turning around to face him.

"I, uh… I just needed some fresh air," I told him, struggling over my words.

I didn't want to tell Zack what just happened. I had no idea how he'd react if he found out that some guy I just met a few hours ago kissed me.

"Okay. So why are you blushing then?" he asked, catching me totally off guard again.

Have I been blushing all this time?

"Blushing? Who, me? Pfft. Why would I be blushing?" I rambled, making a total fool out of myself.

"Right. I'm gonna head inside," he said, giving me a puzzled look.

'_Jeez, Cody. Get your act together!' _I thought to myself before following Zack a few minutes later.

The lobby was relatively quiet for a Friday night. Usually the place would be teeming with guests, but for some strange reason it was almost empty. As I made my way over to the elevator, I heard Maddie calling me from behind the candy counter.

"Hey Cody. Could I talk to you for a sec?" she asked, sounding very serious.

"Sure. What's up?" I asked her, thinking she needed my help with something.

"It's about that boy you were kissing earlier…" she said, half-smiling at the awkward look that spread across my face.

"You saw that?" I asked, blushing again.

She just nodded. "So, does this mean you're over Zack?" she asked, serious again.

"I don't know. Ryan was the one who kissed me. I don't even know if I like him," I told her, voicing my inner thoughts.

"I see. Well, the only thing I can tell you is to listen to your heart," she said, giving me a reassuring smile.

"Thanks Maddie," I said as I returned her smile.

"Let me know what it tells you," she added.

I just nodded and started making my way over to the elevator again.

When I finally got to our suite a few minutes later, I just stood outside for a while, afraid to open the door. I was afraid that as soon as I saw Zack, all the bad feelings would return. At least being with Ryan made me forget about everything. But deep down, I knew I didn't like him the same way that I like Zack. Not yet. And I wasn't sure if I ever would.

I took a deep breath before going in. I was greeted by my smiling mom, happily burning something in the kitchen.

"Hi honey. How was your day?" she asked, giving me a hug.

"Fine, I guess. What's for dinner?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Tuna Noodle Casserole," she replied proudly.

Great. Mom's 'specialty'. I forced a fake smile onto my face, not wanting to hurt her feelings. Just then, Zack emerged from the bedroom, telephone in hand.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow," he said before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Mom asked him as he sat down at the table.

"Bob," he told her, obviously lying.

I knew he was talking to _her_ again. All the bad feelings came rushing back, just like I'd predicted. I walked into our bedroom, closing the door behind me.

As I fell onto my bed, millions of thoughts jumbled through my mind. I thought about Ryan, about his brilliant smile. I thought about Zack, about how much I loved him. I thought about Stefani, about how much I hated her. I thought about my mom, about what she'd do if she ever found out how I felt about Zack…

I thought about Maddie, about how lucky I was to have a friend like her. I thought about the play, about how it literally turned my world upside down. I thought about Ms. Millititch, about why she wanted me to play a girl so badly. Basically, I thought about everything.

After a while of vigorous brain exercise, I was too tired to keep my eyes open any longer.

**''''''''''''''''**

I was standing on a small piece of land, surrounded by the ocean. The water level kept on rising, slowly engulfing the islet beneath my feet. I was completely overcome by panic.

Just as the water was about to swallow my little haven, two doorways appeared behind me. Through the first doorway, I could see happiness. People were smiling, laughing, holding hands. I was so tempted to just step through. But I had to see what was behind the other doorway first.

Doorway number two, however, held nothing but dysphoria. Everyone was crying and yelling, causing each other pain. '_Who would want to live in a world like this?' _I thought to myself. Just then, I was startled by a very familiar voice.

"You have a choice to make, Mr. Martin," came the horribly familiar voice from my previous dreams.

"What do you mean? Isn't it obvious?" I asked, confused. "I choose the first doorway," I said after the voice didn't reply.

"Are you sure?" I heard it ask back, confusing me even more.

Before I could respond, I was woken up by the sound of my mother's voice.

**''''''''''''''''**

"Cody? Wake up honey, dinner's ready," she said, rubbing my back.

"Sorry, I must have dozed off," I said, stretching my arms.

She just smiled and walked out of the room. I followed her into the kitchen, sitting down at the table.

"Hey Cody, Ryan was looking for you," I heard Zack say in a strange tone.

"What did he say?" I asked, worried that he might've let something slip.

"Nothing, really. Just that he'd call again later," he replied, eyeing me suspiciously.

Why was he looking at me like that?

My thoughts were put on hold as mom placed a plate in front of me. The food turned out to be surprisingly delicious, which was weird. Just as I finished taking the last bite, the phone rang.

"I'll get it," said Zack as he got up from the table. "Hello?" he said as he spoke into the receiver.

'_Ugh. It's probably that bitch again,' _I thought to myself, a little shocked by my choice of words.

"Just a sec," I heard Zack say as he made his way over to me from across the room. "It's for you."

"Hello?" I said, not realizing who it was.

"Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night," I heard Ryan's voice on the other end of the line.

His words made me blush the deepest shade of red imaginable.

Oh shit, I hope Zack didn't notice. I quickly recomposed myself before looking his way, smiling when I found his eyes happily glued to the TV screen.

"My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound," I replied, remembering one of my lines.

"You're so cute when you quote Shakespeare," he said, making me blush again.

I practically tiptoed over to the door, not wanting Zack to hear me 'flirt' over the phone.

I quietly closed the door behind me before answering.

"Do you have any idea how many times you've made me blush today?" I asked him.

"A lot?" he replied, clearly proud of himself.

"I assume you're calling about tomorrow?" I asked him, trying to sound a little more serious.

"Indeed I am," he replied.

I could practically see him smiling.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked him, totally lost in our conversation.

"Well, I thought we could just hang out, get to know each other a little better," he said, making me smile again.

"Sounds good to me," I replied excitedly.

"I'll meet you outside the hotel at 9," he said, practically oozing confidence.

That was one of the things I really liked about him. Besides his amazing smile, of course.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight," I said, sounding a little too eager.

"Sweet dreams, my Juliet," he replied, making me blush one last time.

As I turned around to head back inside, I found Zack standing in the doorway.

"So, you have a date tomorrow?" he asked, wiping the smile off my face.

Oh God. What was I going to say now…?


	9. Confrontation

KatrinaEagle, Whowouldhavethought and ilovesprouse... Thank you guys for reviewing! And a special thanks to Long story for reviewing twice. Welcome on board! :)

Also, Akiza Copperfield, aramagiclover, NicNack4U and Long story, thank you for story alerting/favoriting!

Chapter 9 is also one of my favorites. Sorry for the Cody x Ryan lovers, but this chapter is a lot more focused on Zack & Cody. But, rest assured, Ryan's part is far from over...

I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did... :P

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**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 9 – Confrontation**

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

"Zack?" I asked in total shock. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," he replied, obviously waiting for me to answer his previous question.

"I, uh… I don't know," I said, struggling to form a proper sentence.

"So, you like boys now?" he asked, a little confused.

"Yes. I mean no. I mean... I don't think so. Only two," I told him, blabbering like a total moron.

"Two?" he asked again, raising an eyebrow.

'_Shit Cody! You're such an idiot!'_ I thought as I mentally cursed myself.

"Uh. I mean… What I meant to say was… I liked someone before. Someone I wasn't supposed to like. And then Ryan came along, and, well, complicated things," I said, still falling over my own words.

"And who is it that you liked?" he asked curiously.

'_Ugh. You just had to go and ask that, didn't you?' _I thought to myself while trying to figure out what to say.

"Can we maybe talk about this later? It's getting late," I told him, failing to come up with a feasible excuse.

"No. You've been acting strange for weeks. And I want answers. Now," he said harshly.

"I can't tell you Zack! It's already bad enough now that you know I'm gay!" I half shouted as I ran inside.

I slammed the bedroom door and fell onto my bed, finally letting the tears I'd been holding back fall.

A few seconds later, an argument began in the living room.

"Zack, what did you do this time?" I heard mom ask.

"Nothing. Cody's the one who's been keeping secrets," he replied.

Oh no. What if he told her the truth? _'Please Zack. Don't…' _I implored mentally, hoping our twin telepathy would work.

"Secrets? What secrets?" she asked him, sounding shocked.

"Never mind. It's nothing. I need to go talk to him," he said, making me sigh in relief.

I could practically see mom nod approvingly. A few moments later, Zack came in, closing the door behind him. He sat down beside me before he started his speech.

"Codes, you know I love you, right?" he said, making his voice sound as soothing as he possibly could.

I just kept my face buried in my pillow, secretly smiling through the tears that refused to stop.

"What I'm trying to say is that I still love you. Even if you're gay. You're my baby brother, Cody. And nothing will ever change that," he continued, finally stopping the tears.

"Really?" I asked him, drying my eyes.

"Really," he replied before giving me a reassuring hug.

"I love you too, Zacky. A lot more than you know…" I said, pulling him closer.

After a while, he let go. He looked at me for a few minutes before smiling.

"Wanna sleep in my bed tonight?" he asked, reading my mind.

I just smiled at him, almost getting lost in his beautiful eyes again. What did I ever do to deserve such an awesome brother? I blushed as he took my hand and led me across the room.

"Night Codes," he said as I crawled under the covers. "I love you," he added, giving me one last hug.

"Goodnight Zack" I replied, resting my head on his shoulder. "I love you too."

As soon as I heard his first snore, I found his hand and held on to it tightly.

**''''''''''''''''**

"Hello Cody," I heard a familiar voice speak.

"Hi Ryan," I said back, turning around to see where his voice was coming from.

We were standing outside the hotel. Something about him seemed off, though I couldn't quite figure out what it was yet.

All of a sudden, he was overcome by rage. He rushed at me and pinned me against the wall, holding my arms above my head.

"I know your little secret, Cody," he said in a whisper, an evil grin spreading across his face. "I know you're in love with your brother."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied, terrified.

I'd never seen him like this before. His eyes were dark; lifeless. And he was really starting to hurt me.

"I won't have it, Cody. You're mine!" he shouted as he tightened his grip around my wrists.

"You're hurting me," I said, tears starting to form in my eyes.

Just then, someone started shaking me.

**''''''''''''''''**

"Cody? Wake up!" I heard Zack's voice. I opened my eyes and saw the worried expression on his face. "Are you okay? You were shaking like a leaf."

"Another bad dream," I told him, blinking away the excess water in my eyes.

He just took me into his arms, comforting me. As I held my brother, I thought about what the dream meant. About what all these strange dreams I've been having meant. Maybe they were signs. Maybe they were trying to tell me that Zack and I weren't destined to be together. Or maybe they were trying to warn me about Ryan.

I was so confused. I didn't know what to do anymore.

"What time is it?" I asked my brother, pulling away from the hug.

"Almost 6," replied Zack.

"No point in trying to get back to sleep now," I said, more to myself than to him.

I grabbed some clothes from my cupboard and made my way over to the bathroom. As I got in the shower, I let the warm water wash away all my troubles. It was so soothing. So relaxing. But I knew it was only temporary. As soon as I turned the water off, I'd have to face reality again.

But for now, this was my little escape. I stood there, eyes closed, for what must've been 15 minutes when I finally heard Zack's voice from outside the door.

"Cody? Are you okay in there?" he asked worriedly.

"I'll be out in a minute," I told him before turning off the water.

I toweled off and got dressed. As I was brushing my teeth, it suddenly hit me that I was supposed to go to Stefani's house today. I thought about using it as an excuse to get out of my date with Ryan. I was still shaken up about the dream. Maybe it would be a good idea to avoid him for a little while.

I headed out the door, almost bumping into Zack who was anxiously waiting to use the bathroom.

"About time," he said mockingly before going inside.

I was glad that everything was still relatively normal between us. I don't know what I'd do if Zack wasn't so accepting. But I still thought it would be best not to tell him that I was head over heels in love with him.

As soon as I heard the water running, I picked up the phone. I dialed Ryan's number, hoping he'd be awake already.

"Hello?" I heard him say on the other side of the line.

"Hi Ryan," I said awkwardly.

"Hey gorgeous. How's it going? I can't wait to see you," he said excitedly.

"About that… Something came up and I won't be able to make it," I told him, hoping he wouldn't be too upset.

"Oh. That's okay. Maybe tomorrow then," he said, sounding a little bummed.

"Sure," I said, trying to make him feel better. "I'll call you," I told him before hanging up.

I felt extremely guilty. But I just couldn't cope with this right now. I decided to make some breakfast. At least that would keep my conscience quiet for a while.

As soon as I was done with the French toast, Zack walked out of the bathroom. He was wearing nothing but a pair of super thin boxers. Try as I might, I couldn't keep my eyes from studying every inch of his body. I couldn't help myself from wanting more. Just as my eyes started to move down, Zack's voice snapped me out of my daze.

"That smells delicious!" he said, making his way over to the table.

I just smiled as I sat down across from him, looking into his beautiful blue eyes. Oh God, how I loved his eyes.

"Where's mom?" he asked, looking around.

"She said she'd be doing an early rehearsal today," I said, taking a bite of my food.

"So, what are you and that Ryan guy gonna do today," he asked again, in a strange tone I didn't quite understand.

"Actually, we postponed that," I told him. I was surprised to see that he actually looked relieved. "Stefani asked me to come over. To practice for the play," I added.

"Oh. Cool. Well, I guess I'll see you later then." he said, getting up from the table. "I'm gonna head back to bed, I'm still really tired."

"Sorry about waking you," I said apologetically.

"Don't worry about it," he told me, smiling.

As soon as he turned around, I found myself staring like an idiot again. Why did he have to be so perfect?

I cleared the table before heading out the door.

Ugh. I was so not looking forward to this…


	10. What's Going On?

New chapter! :)

ilovesprouse, love-for-bakas, Long story, Whowouldhavethought, KatrinaEagle and Animedog91, thanks so much for the reviews! You guys are awesome!

And love-for-bakas, Animedog91 and That Shy Quiet Girl, thanks for favoriting/story alerting!

Chapter 10 is full of surprises... It's gonna be a bumpy ride from here on out! Lol. Stay tuned!

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did! :P**  
><strong>

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**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 10 – What's Going On?**

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I made my way over to the elevator, taking my time. I was in no rush to spend time with the girl I practically loathed with every fiber in my body. As my mind started wandering off into the distance, I forgot to look where I was going and crashed into London. Again.

"Zack! Why do you keep doing that?" she asked, dusting off her Arturo Vitali outfit as she got up.

"Sorry London. Guess I was daydreaming again," I told her, not even bothering to set her straight about my name.

"About what?" she asked curiously.

"A boy," I told her, since she already knew I was in love with one.

"Gasp! You like boys too? So does Cody! You two must be telepathetic!" she squealed in amazement before skipping away.

I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Sure, London could be extremely dimwitted at times. But she meant well. After two years of lecturing from Maddie, she's no longer the self absorbed, egoistical rich girl she used to be. Well, at least not all of the time.

I found myself thinking about Stefani again. The mere thought of her name made me cringe. I opted to take the stairs, knowing it would delay our meeting a little further.

I made my way through the lobby and out the front door. I glanced at my watch, noticing it was still only 8AM. I decided to go to the library for a while to kill some time.

I was surprised to bump into Barbara. But then again, she was the smartest girl in school, so it really wasn't that big of a surprise.

"Hey Cody," she said as she made her way over to me, smiling.

"Hey Barbara," I said as I returned her smile.

"I've been meaning to ask you about something," she began as she motioned towards one of the tables in the back.

"What is it?" I asked as I sat down next to her.

"Have you told Zack how you feel about him yet?" she asked, nearly causing me to fall off my chair.

"You know‽" I asked in complete disbelief.

"Well, you weren't exactly subtle about it. All the staring… I'm surprised no one else has figured it out yet," she said, half smiling at the awkward blush that spread across my face.

"I was that obvious, huh?" I asked her, feeling like a total idiot.

"Or maybe I'm the only one who saw it because I'm so incredibly smart," she gloated before giving me a reassuring smile.

"So no one else knows?" I asked her, still a little worried.

"Not that I'm aware of," she said, making me sigh in relief.

"So... Do you think I'm disgusting?" I asked her, not sure how else to put it.

"Of course not. Although I don't particularly think it's very orthodox. But I know the heart can not be controlled. It loves whoever it wants to, and you just have to deal with it," she said, sounding like she'd given this a lot of thought.

I couldn't believe it. Barbara was so accepting. Just like Maddie. Maybe everyone else would be too.

"Just remember, Cody. The world is a harsh place, full of judgment and hate. A lot of people are going to be against this," she told me, crushing the tiny glimmer of hope I'd just discovered.

"I don't know what to do, Barbara. I just want to be happy," I told her, realizing she was right.

"Just… Tell him," she said, smiling encouragingly.

"You really think I should?" I asked in complete amazement.

"Yes, I do. Just be sure to prepare yourself for the worst," she said as she got up.

I winced at her words. But I knew she was right. She always was.

I gave her a hug and thanked her for the advice.

As she walked away, I remembered my meeting with Stefani. When I looked down at my watch, I saw that it was almost 9:30. I had about 30 minutes left to kill. I started browsing the 'Psychology section', since I wasn't in the mood for anything else.

As I was scanning through the titles, a particular book caught my eye. 'Star Struck – Incest Between Twins…'

'_Wow, someone actually wrote a book about this? Maybe I'll find some answers in here,'_ I thought to myself.

I decided to check it out. I grabbed a few other random Psychology books from the shelf, and proceeded to the front desk. Luckily the librarian didn't scan through any of the titles. I wasn't in the mood for a bunch of awkward questions right now.

I put the books in my backpack before making my way over to Stefani's house. Thankfully it was only a couple of blocks away from the library.

I finally reached my destination 20 minutes later. I went over to ring the doorbell, but before I even had the chance to reach it, the door swung open and Stefani practically yanked me inside.

"Um. Hi," I said, confused.

"Hey. I've been waiting for you," she said strangely. And I could've sworn she winked at me too.

I followed her upstairs, wondering why she was acting so strange. When we reached her room, she pulled out her script and waited for me to do the same. I pulled mine out of my backpack, and looked over at her.

"So. How are we gonna do this?" I asked her, unsure of the strange look on her face.

"Easy. You be Romeo, and I'll be Juliet…" she replied as she slowly walked over to where I was standing.

"Uh. I don't think that's gonna work. I need to practice Juliet's lines too," I pointed out, unconsciously backing away from her.

"I'm not talking about the play, silly…" she said as she started getting closer.

I tried stepping back, but my back was already against the wall.

"What are you doing?" I asked awkwardly.

"Shh," she said as she finally reached me, putting a finger over my lips.

What the hell was happening? I tried to tell her to stop, but I just couldn't find the words. She removed her finger and brought her lips closer to mine. Just as they were about to touch, I yelled the first thing that came to mind.

"I'm gay!" I shouted, causing her to stop dead in her tracks.

Uh oh. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. Now the whole school is gonna find out…

"Excuse me?" she asked incredulously.

"Uh, I mean… I'm confused," I tried again, hoping that would sound better.

"You're not making any sense. I thought you liked me?" she said, sounding almost as perplexed as I was.

"I did. But I didn't think you felt the same way. So I moved on," I explained.

"Oh. Sorry," she said as she stared at the floor.

I actually felt bad for her. She seemed so disappointed. But then I remembered. She was supposed to be with Zack. And she was about to cheat on him. With me!

"I can't believe you were about to cheat on Zack! With his own twin brother!" I said, almost yelling.

"What? Didn't he tell you? We're not together anymore…" she said glumly.

Now I was really confused. When did that happen?

"Zack broke up with me," she continued, tears starting to form in her eyes.

Great. What was I supposed to do now?

"Oh," was all that I could manage. "Uh, Stef, I have to go. Doctor's appointment," I lied.

I just had to get out of there. Everything was just so messed up. Why didn't Zack tell me?

I picked up my backpack and made my way towards the door.

"Cody?" I heard her say before turning around. "I'd really appreciate it if we could still be friends."

"Sure," I told her, not knowing what else to say.

I saw an eerie smile spread across her face before hightailing it out of there.

'_Jeez. That was seriously weird,'_ I thought to myself as I started walking back to the hotel.

I checked my watch and saw that it was still only 12 o'clock. I don't know why, but I suddenly felt the urge to pay Ryan a little visit. The shock from the dream had finally worn off, and I felt really bad about letting him down.

But I wasn't ready to be in a relationship with him. Not while I felt this strongly about Zack.

So I made my way over to the St. Mark to break up with my boyfriend…


	11. The Break Up

Hey guys and girls!

Firstly, ilovesprouse, Long story, love-for-bakas, Rogue Blade, Stonerose55 and ADeadBlackRose, thank you guys so much for reviewing! :D

Secondly, Tomfeltonisgod, Stonerose55 and ADeadBlackRose, thanks for the story alerts. Also, love-for-bakas and Stonerose55, thank you both for favoriting! I'm duly honored! :)

Here's chapter 11! It's kind of a turning point in the story. You're either gonna love it, or totally hate it! Lol. Oh! And I borrowed a little part from the opening scene of the episode Cookin' With Romeo and Juliet...

Happy reading!

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did! :P

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**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 11 – The Break Up**

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I walked into the lobby of the St. Mark Hotel, which looked surprisingly identical to our own. I made my way over to the front desk, to ask which room Ryan was staying in.

No one was at the desk when I got there, so I decided to ring the bell. I was absolutely horrified when Ilsa Schickelgrubermeiger came walking towards me. I'd completely forgotten that she was now the manager here.

"Vell, if it isn't one of ze little tvins that ruined my reputation," she said in her intimidating German accent.

"Hi Ms. Schickelgrubermeiger," I said politely, trying my best to smile.

"Actually, since you had me fired from ze Tipton organization, I've gotten married," she said, giving me a menacing glare.

"You're kidding," I replied in disbelief.

"No. My married name is Ilsa Schickelgrubermeiger-von Helsinger Kepelugerhoffer," she announced proudly.

"You're kidding," I said again, completely dumbfounded. "That must take forever to write on your underwear!"

"I have a schtamp... Now vat do you vant?" she asked, a little offended.

"Uh, I'm here to see a friend of mine. Ryan Sharp. Could you maybe tell me what room he's staying in?" I asked her, trying not to stare at her mole.

"Of course," she replied, forcing a fake smile onto her face. She pressed a few keys on the computer, and politely announced that I could find him in room 1823.

I thanked her before making my way over to the elevator. _'That went well...'_ I thought to myself as I got on. I hit the button for the 18th floor and tried to think about what I was going to say. But before I could come up with something, I arrived at my destination.

I walked slowly up to his room, still not sure about how I was going to do this. As I continued racking my brain for an answer, I remembered something Zack had once told me. _'Wing it…'_

I took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Cody?" I heard Ryan ask as soon as he saw me standing in the hallway.

"Hi Ryan," I replied shyly.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, clearly happy to see me.

"We need to talk," I replied, sounding a little more apathetic than I'd intended.

He invited me in and led me over to the couch, holding a slightly confused look on his face.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked politely.

I just shook my head and waited for him to sit down.

"So, what did you wanna talk about?" he asked, fidgeting in his seat.

"Us," I replied. I watched as the look of confusion he held turned into fear. He could probably tell by the tone of my voice that this was not going to be a happy conversation.

"I just don't think it's going to work out between us. You really are a great guy Ryan. It's just… I'm not ready for a relationship yet," I told him, waiting for his reaction.

"Why? Was it something I did?" he asked, in total shock.

"No. Not at all. Anyone would be lucky to have you as a boyfriend," I replied, hoping it would make him feel better.

"But I don't wanna be anyone else's boyfriend! Please don't leave me, Cody! I love you…" he said, tears starting to form in his eyes.

"But I don't love you, Ryan," I told him before I could stop myself.

I instantly regretted it.

He just sat there, frozen. It was as though my words had ripped his heart right out of his chest. _Oh no, what have I done?_

After a few minutes of complete catatonia, he got up and started walking over to his room.

"You will love me, Cody. Some day," he said as he walked past me, expressionless.

His words sent shivers down my spine. It was almost as if he was threatening me...

"Ryan?" I tried calling after him, but he'd already disappeared into his room. I contemplated knocking on the door, but then memories from the nightmare I'd had the night before came flooding back. What if he really was capable of hurting me like that?

I walked out the door as quickly as my feet would carry me. I practically ran down the hallway, trying to get away from the mixture of guilt and fear in the back of my mind.

I ran down the stairs and made a beeline straight through the lobby, earning a death glare from Ilsa. After almost knocking over a couple of people, I finally made it outside. I zigzagged across the busy street and darted through the revolving door of the Tipton, letting out a sigh of relief as I saw Maddie.

"Cody? What happened?" she asked from behind the candy counter.

"I, I just… I broke up with…" I tried telling her, but I was too out of breath.

She took out her 'Back In 5 Minutes' sign and made her way over to the staff lounge, motioning for me to follow her.

She handed me a bottle of water from the fridge and waited for me to regain my composure.

"I broke up with Ryan," I told her after a few minutes of panting.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "What happened?"

"Well, I just realized that I didn't like him enough," I replied, looking at the ground. "I could never love him the way I love Zack."

"How'd he take it?" she asked, a little concerned about his feelings.

"Not too well," I replied, grimacing. "He just sat there, staring. And after a while he stood up and told me that I _would_ love him some day, before proceeding to lock himself in his room."

"Wow. Creepy," she said, probably for lack of a better word.

"I know. Do you think he was serious?" I asked her, remembering the dream again. What if it really was a warning. I gulped as I recalled the menacing look in his eyes.

"I'm not sure. But it would probably be a good idea to avoid him for a little while," she said, looking concerned.

"There's just one problem. We're both in the school play," I told her, remembering Ms. Millititch's words.

'_I hope you two get along, since you'll be working together pretty closely from now on…'_

"I see. Well, maybe he'll cool off over the weekend and everything will be fine on Monday," she replied optimistically.

"I hope so," I told her, still looking a little worried.

She just smiled at me reassuringly.

"Thanks again Maddie. For everything," I said before giving her a hug.

"Anytime," she replied happily, deciding to head back to the candy counter.

I decided to head up to our room. I had to tell Zack what happened. And ask him about his break up with Stefani. I still had no idea why he didn't tell me.

When I finally reached our suite, I swiped my key card and headed inside. Zack was sitting on the couch, mindlessly watching cartoons. I couldn't help myself from staring. He was just so perfect.

"Hey Codes," he greeted me as I sat down next to him.

"Hi Zacky," I replied, feeling a little stupid for using his pet name out of the blue like that.

He looked at me weirdly before shrugging it off. "What's up?"

"I broke up with Ryan," I told him awkwardly.

Wow, I've been saying that a lot in the last few minutes…

I couldn't keep myself from smiling inside when a look of relief spread across Zack's face.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he replied, trying to hide his contentment.

But why did Zack seem so happy about this? Could he really have been jealous about my friendship with Ryan? No. That doesn't make any sense. Why would he be jealous?

I tried to study his face for answers, but instead I just got lost in his eyes again. I knew I was going to blow my cover, but I didn't care anymore. I wanted Zack to know how much I loved him. I wanted to tell him everything.

Zack just stared back at me the entire time, as though he were looking directly into my soul. And then, all of a sudden, he moved his head forward, crashing his lips against mine.


	12. Retribution: Part  1

Update time... ;)

ilovesprouse, KatrinaEagle, Telacast, YourWhatMakesLifeWorthLiving, Rogue Blade, Stonerose55, Long story and phantomreg... THANK YOU for reviewing! This is the most reviews I've ever gotten for a chapter, and it made me really, really happy! :D

Also, fruityrowing, Telacast, phantomreg and jfieldjr... Thanks for the alerts/favorites! It really means a lot! :)

I personally love this chapter! Although it felt really weird writing it... Warning: Major plot twist coming up! Haha.

Happy reading! ;)

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did! :P

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 12 – Retribution… Part 1**

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

I had absolutely no idea how to react. I just sat there like a complete idiot, trying to make sense of what was happening. I didn't even realize that I wasn't kissing him back. Until he pulled away, that is…

"Oh God Codes, I have no idea what just came over me," he said, almost stuttering.

I wanted to kick myself so badly. I've been waiting for this moment for months! And now that the opportunity finally presented itself, I go and screw it up. _Way to go, Cody..._ Ugh, I had to find a way to fix this.

"Look, I'm really sorry ab…" he tried saying. But before he could finish, I pressed my lips against his, muffling his apology.

It took a while for him to respond. But when he finally did, it was pure bliss. We studied each other carefully at first, kissing gently. After a few seconds, though, I felt Zack nibble lightly on my lower lip. I let them part slightly, allowing his tongue entrance. I was no expert on kissing, but at least I could figure that part out.

I could feel his tongue starting to explore every inch of my mouth. I tried to emulate his actions with my own tongue, hoping I wouldn't ruin our first real kiss with my complete lack of experience. I'd never really kissed someone before. Not like this, at least.

But he tasted absolutely wonderful. A slight moan escaped my throat as he wrapped his tongue around my own, sending a frisson down my spine. I couldn't believe that I was actually making out with my own twin brother. Our tongues wrestled for a while, with Zack's tongue eventually overpowering mine. I gladly succumbed to his dominance, and I felt him smile into our kiss as I did.

After a few minutes of absolute ecstasy, we finally had to pull apart for air.

"What just happened?" he asked, looking into my eyes.

"I have no idea," I replied, completely out of breath.

We sat in utter silence, staring at each other again. This felt like the perfect time for a confession. One that was long overdue.

"Zack... I think I might be in love with you," I told him, anxiously awaiting his reply.

But he didn't say anything. I started to panic a bit as the air went dead again. I let out a slight sigh of relief when Zack finally opened his mouth to speak. But it was exactly the opposite of what I wanted to hear.

"I think I need some time alone," he announced before making his way over to the door.

'_Great job, Cody. You completely fucked it up!'_ I thought to myself. I wanted to follow him, to tell him that I'm sorry. But I knew I'd only screw things up further. So I decided to give him some time alone. __'Maybe he'll realize that he loves me too. Maybe.'__

A few hours later, Zack still wasn't home. It was starting to get dark outside, and I was getting really worried. What if something had happened to him? But before I could imagine more worst-case-scenarios, the phone rang.

"Hello?" I said eagerly, hoping it was Zack.

"Hello, Cody…" I heard a familiar voice say. But for some reason I couldn't quite remember who it belonged to.

"Who is this?" I asked, a little annoyed. I needed to keep the line open in case Zack tried to call.

"You don't remember your brother's ex girlfriend? Tsk tsk. I'm very disappointed…" the voice said in a seriously creepy tone.

"Stefani?" I said, finally realizing who it was. "Can this wait? I need to keep the line open in case Zack calls."

"Oh, I don't think he'll be calling you anytime soon. He's a little tied up at the moment," she said, laughing slightly.

"What do you mean?" I asked her, a little confused.

"Still not catching on, huh? Let me spell it out for you then. Zacky is here with me. I guess you could say I'm holding him against his will," she replied, still using that eerie tone from before.

"You kidnapped him!" I shouted into the phone, unable to control myself.

"Kidnapped is such an ugly word…" she said evilly. I could practically see her grinning on the other end of the line.

"What do you want?" I asked her, almost dreading her reply.

"Not much. I actually think it's a pretty reasonable request. Come on over and I'll tell you," she said alluringly. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll come alone."

But before I could reply, she hung up. Oh my God, what has Zack gotten himself into?

I ran out the door, not even bothering to leave a note. I practically flew down the stairs, knowing the elevator would take far too long. When I reached the lobby a few minutes later, I saw Maddie. I just had to tell her what was going on, in case something happened to us. Who knew what the hell this 'crazy Stefani' was capable of?

"Maddie!" I shouted as I ran over to her.

"What's wrong?" she asked when she saw how panicked I was.

"Zack's been kidnapped…" I told her in a whisper.

"What? We have to call the police!" she replied.

"No, we can't! I know who did it. I'm just not sure what this girl is capable of. So I thought I had to let someone know," I told her anxiously. "If we're not back in a few hours, call the police."

She just nodded and gave a hug. "Be careful."

I smiled at her before making my way through the revolving door and down the street. I ran the whole way there, wishing this was all just another nightmare I'd soon wake up from. But I knew that this was real.

When I finally reached her house, she was already waiting for me.

"Hello, Cody. So nice of you to join me," she said when I reached the front door, grinning that evil grin I'd imagined before. But it was a lot more maniacal in person than the one inside my head.

"Where's Zack?" I asked, running inside.

I didn't see him downstairs, so I ran up to her bedroom. But he wasn't there either.

"Where's Zack!" I asked again, almost shouting.

"Zack isn't here, silly," she said as she closed the door behind her.

"But you said…"

"I lied…" she said as she started walking towards me.

'_Oh God, not again,'_ I thought as I recalled the events from earlier today.

"Look Stef, I'm seriously not attracted to you. And I really don't have time for this," I said, hoping it would make her stop.

But it didn't. The smirk she held on her face just grew wider. And before I knew it I was pinned up against the wall again.

"I'm not attracted to you either, silly boy. I'm just _using_ you," she said as she started kissing my neck.

I tried pushing her away, but she grabbed my wrists and pressed them up against the wall. I could feel her lips moving up the side of my face, lightly placing kisses on my jaw line, cheek and temple. I felt her smiling against my skin, making me shudder.

I tried pushing her away again, but she held my wrists tightly. I couldn't believe I was being overpowered by a girl. I'm not exactly sure how she managed to do it, but a few seconds later I was shirtless. She practically threw me onto the bed, seductively taking off her own blouse.

But before I could even think about making a run for it, she was on top of me again.

She started kissing my chest, progressively moving lower. As she reached the bottom half of my torso, I was suddenly overcome by panic. _Oh my God. Was Stefani about to rape me?_ I tried squirming beneath her, but she was too strong.

Just as she was about to reach my groin, the bedroom door opened.

"What do you want Stefani? It's late and I really need to…" Zack said, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw us.

His jaw literally dropped open as he stared incredulously at what was happening before him. Oh God, this was not good…

"Zack! It's not what it looks like!" I said, finally finding the strength to push the crazy bitch off me.

I practically threw my arms around him, hoping he'd believe me. But he didn't.

"How could you?" he asked as he pushed my half naked body away.

"I didn't do anything! I swear! She was trying to molest me!" I told him, tears forming in my eyes.

But he didn't say anything. He couldn't even look at me. I disgusted him. And that killed me inside.

He turned and walked away, expressionless.


	13. Retribution: Part 2

Firstly, the reviewers... ilovesprouse, Long story, Animedog91, Stonerose55, Telacast, love-for-bakas, YourWhatMakesLifeWorthLiving, jfieldjr, phantomreg, Pixter14, vampwolf13 and KatrinaEagle... THANK YOU! Chapter 12 is now officially the most reviewed chapter. Please check under your seats for a complementary cookie! :)

And also... jfieldjr, Litovoi, Pixter14, TheHomo and Decimo619, thanks for the alerts/favorites! It really means a lot.

Chapter 13 is one of my personal favorite chapters so far...

Anyway, onto the show!

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did! :P

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**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 13 – Retribution… Part 2**

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"What the hell!" I screamed at Stefani, who was now wearing a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Zack broke my heart, so it's only fair that I break his, don't you think?" she replied matter-of-factly.

I was furious. Every fiber in my body wanted to kill the crazy bitch that was standing before me.

"You fucking nut job! Do you realize what you've done!" I screamed again, forcing myself not to wrap my hands around her scrawny little neck.

"Of course," she replied, still holding that eerie smirk. "He told me about his little crush. About how he was in love with his brother. That's why he dumped me," she continued.

"He told you that?" I asked, confused.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Zack really had a crush on me?

"Yes. And that's why you were the perfect target. The perfect pawn for my revenge. Oh, and I must congratulate you. You played your part perfectly," she said, a demented giggle escaping her throat.

"You're gonna pay for this," I told her before leaving.

I had to get out of there before I did something I'd regret later.

I ran back to the hotel, hoping I'd be able to catch up to Zack.

I reached my destination a few minutes later, unable to find him along the way. _'Oh God, I just hope he's okay.' _I ran through the revolving doors and into the lobby, instantly shouting out Zack's name as I saw him sitting next to Maddie.

He stood up and left as soon as he heard my voice, not even sparing a glance in my direction. I tried going after him, but Maddie called me over.

"We need to talk," she said sternly.

"Can it wait? I really need to talk to Zack," I told her.

"I know. But I'm afraid Zack doesn't want to talk to you," she replied.

She motioned for me to take a seat next to her, which I did.

"Is it true? Did you make out with Zack's girlfriend?" she asked, concern in her voice.

"Ex-girlfriend," I corrected her. "And no, she forced herself onto me. She planned the whole thing!" I told her, half shouting.

"So you had nothing to do with it?" she asked, trying to make sense from the story Zack had probably just told her.

"No. I swear. She set the whole thing up to get back at Zack. For breaking up with her," I replied earnestly.

"Alright, I believe you. I just hope Zack will, too," she said, smiling her warm smile.

I gave her a quick hug before making my way over to the elevator.

I practically dashed down the hallway as soon as the doors opened. I swiped my key card and headed inside, finding him in front of the TV – exactly the same scene I saw 9 hours ago.

But things were a lot different this time. More stuff has happened in these last couple of hours than I could've ever imagined. Zack and I kissed for the first time, causing him to run off; his crazy ex-girlfriend made me think she kidnapped him – and almost molested me in the process – then told me she was just using me to get back at him for breaking her heart; and, of course, my brother thinks I betrayed him.

Well, at least this would make an interesting story someday…

I walked over to the couch and sat down next to him. He leered at me from underneath his bangs, his eyes still filled with disgust.

"Zack, I didn't do anything with that crazy bitch. It was all just part of her sick little plan. Please… You have to believe me," I told him, almost pleading.

He just sat there, staring at me for a while. I genuinely hoped that he would be able to see the truth in my eyes.

"Why should I?" he asked a few seconds later.

"Because I'm your brother," I told him, trying to sound as sincere as I possibly could. "And I love you."

As soon as those words left my mouth, I moved my head forward and pressed my lips against his. He finally gave in and returned the kiss after a few moments. He wanted this just as much as I did. I couldn't help but smile into our kiss as that realization hit me.

I parted my lips a bit to grant access to Zack's tongue. I wanted to taste him again. So badly. He gladly obliged and our tongues were soon wrestling. But we suddenly jerked apart when we heard our mother's voice from outside the door.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow! Don't be late for our spa day!" she shouted down the hall.

Zack looked at me, bewildered. I knew exactly what he was thinking. And I was thinking it too. _'What if mom saw us?'_

We both tried to act as casual as we possibly could when she finally opened the door.

"Hi boys!" she called out when she saw us sitting on the couch.

"Hi mom," we both said in unison.

"Why aren't you guys asleep yet? It's after 10…" she said, looking up from her watch.

"We were just watching a movie," Zack replied.

He was always quick on his feet when it came to lying. It wasn't a terribly honorable skill, I must admit, but still useful nonetheless.

She just smiled before making her way over to the bathroom.

I looked over at Zack, who held a relieved expression on his face. He smiled at me before speaking.

"I guess we should hit the hay," he said, all his previous anger forgotten.

I was elated that everything was back to normal again. Well, as normal as twin brothers being in love with each other can be. I just nodded at his question before standing up and following him over to our bedroom.

"Night, mom!" we both called out before closing the door.

"Goodnight!" she called back, probably soaking in the bathtub.

As soon as the door was shut tight, Zack took my hand and led me over to his bed. We crawled under the covers and made ourselves comfortable. I rested my head on his chest, still holding his hand. Everything just felt so perfect.

"Night, Zack," I said, looking up at him, his beautiful face gleaming in the moonlight that came seeping through the window. "I love you."

"Goodnight, baby brother," he said before placing a soft kiss on my lips.

I smiled at him as he pulled away.

I still couldn't believe this was happening. It all just felt so surreal. Like a dream.

But it wasn't a dream. This was actually happening. And I was so happy I could die.

**''''''''''''''''**

I was sitting upright in Zack's bed. The strangest feeling suddenly washed over me, sending chills down my spine. Something was wrong. VERY wrong.

I tried to wake Zack, but he wasn't next to me anymore. Instantly the feeling became more intense. I got out of bed and headed for the bathroom door, hoping I'd find him there.

I tried knocking, but there was no answer. I opened the door, thinking he was probably just too sleepy to say anything. But the bathroom was empty. I checked the living room and the kitchen, but he was nowhere to be found.

And mom was missing too.

'_Where the heck could they be? It's the middle of the night,'_ I thought to myself.

I walked outside, hoping they'd be standing in the hallway for some strange reason. Still no sign of them. I decided to head down to the lobby. Maybe Mr. Moseby would know where they went.

But the lobby was completely deserted. And so was the manager's office. Now I was really starting to freak out. '_Was I the only person left in the hotel?' _

Just then, I saw someone come in through the revolving door.

"Hello, Cody," a familiar voice said.

Another cold shiver made its way down my spine when _his_ face came into view.

"Ryan?" I asked in disbelief.

"Everyone's gone. It's just you and me now," he said, coming closer.

"Wh-what do you mean?" I asked him, freaked out by the complete blackness he held in his eyes.

"I killed them. I killed them all," he said proudly. "Now there's no one left for you to love but me…"

A maniacal laughter filled the room as I fell to the floor.

**''''''''''''''''**

"Noooo!" I screamed, finding myself sitting upright in Zack's bed again.

"Cody? What's wrong?" I heard Zack ask, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"Zack! Oh thank God…" I said as I threw my arms around him. I'd never been this happy to see my brother before.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked, a little confused.

"It's nothing," I replied, not wanting to tell him about the dream.

But then a thought popped into my head. What if Ryan really was capable of hurting Zack? What if he _was_ prepared to go that far?

I was going to have to tell Zack sooner or later.

But how exactly do you tell your twin brother that your ex-boyfriend might just be a _little bit _more demented than his ex-girlfriend was…?


	14. How to Date Your Brother

To my lovely reviewers... ilovesprouse, Long story, Animedog91, Vampwolf13, YourWhatMakesLifeWorthLiving, love-for-bakas, ADeadBlackRose, KatrinaEagle, phantomreg, Stonerose55, IizCANNIBAL, Telacast and alexanderrr... You guys set another new record for most reviewed chapter! Thank you! A round of cookies for everyone! :D

And alexanderrr extra cookies for you for the favorites and the alerts! :)  
>Also a big thank you to Loopy Looney Charny for favoriting my baby!<p>

Here's chapter 14 for you guys... It's full of sexiness, some fluff, and, of course, a little bit of drama... ;)

Oh, wait, before you begin reading... ilovesprouse and I have collaborated to bring you guys an awesome new Suite Life fic! It's called Yoü and I, and it can be found under our joint account, BloodyQueenSprouse... Hope you guys check it out! :)

Alrighty... On to the show!

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did! :P

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**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 14 – How to Date Your Brother  
><strong>

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"Zacky, there's something I need to tell you…" I said as I looked into my brother's eyes.

"Yeah?" he asked after letting out a yawn.

"It's about Ryan," I said worriedly.

"Did he hurt you?" Zack asked, fully awake now. "Cause if he did, I have some teeth to go straighten."

"No, it's not that," I said, pulling down the fist that he was symbolically holding in the air. "But he did threaten me. Sort of."

"When? What did he say?" he asked irately.

"It was right after I broke up with him. I told him that I didn't love him, and he said that I would. Someday," I told him, the fear from before finding its way into my voice.

"That punk! I'll go set him straight right now!" he miffed, throwing the covers off of him.

"Please don't," I pleaded, grabbing onto his wrist. "He's not worth it."

"Is that why you've been having these nightmares?" he asked, seeming to calm down a bit.

"Some of them," I answered, still holding his hand.

Zack just frowned and looked at me, a worried expression on his face. I smiled at him, knowing that he would always have my back, no matter what.

"I love you," I told him, leaning in for a kiss.

He caught on soon enough, and pressed his lips against mine. We continued our little make out session that mom had so rudely interrupted the night before, our tongues immediately intertwining.

Before I even knew it, Zack had my shirt halfway off already. We pulled apart for a few seconds as he yanked it over my head, pulling off his own in the process. Our lips met again, and this time lust was mixed in with the overwhelming amount of passion that was being emitted between us.

Zack's hands started to roam up and down my naked torso, coming to a standstill when he found my nipples. He playfully circled them before he started kissing my neck. I let out a few soft moans as he moved up to my cheekbone.

My hands were tangled in his hair as he placed a soft kiss on my lips again, pulling away as if to say something.

"Wow, you're hot," he said, smiling the most beautiful, lust-filled smile I'd ever seen.

"You're not too bad yourself," I replied teasingly.

I brought our lips back together a moment later, wanting to feel the heat between our bodies again. I rubbed my hands all over his glorious back as we made out for another three minutes, momentarily pulling apart for air.

After that, Zack started kissing my collarbone. He moved his head down, placing kisses all over my chest. He continued to my lower, all the way down to my stomach. After he reached the waistband of the pants, I silently cursed myself for wearing them in the first place. He looked up at me, politely asking for my permission.

I did all I could do in this immense state of pleasure and nodded. But just as he was about to pull down the bothersome piece of fabric, a knock on the door scared us both half to death.

"Boys, wake up! Your breakfast's getting cold!" we heard our mom say, just a few feet away.

Thank God she didn't decide to just burst into the room.

I looked down at Zack, who held a disappointed look on his face. I couldn't help but smile at the adorable pout he was wearing. We pulled our shirts back on and shared one last kiss before making our way over to the door.

"I love you, too," Zack said as he gripped the handle, flashing me another brilliant smile.

We walked into the living room, putting on our poker faces. If mom ever found out about this… There's no telling what she'd do. But she would definitely NOT be okay with her twin sons _almost_ making it to third base.

We sat down at the table, sharing a secret glance at each other before mom brought over our plates.

"Morning sleepyheads," she said cheerfully.

"Morning mom," we said in unison, uncharacteristically excited over the breakfast she'd prepared for us. "Thanks for the blueberry pancakes!" I said happily, giving her a smile.

"Well, I know it's your favorite. And I figured I'd spoil my boys a little bit since I love them _so much_," she said as she gave us both head kisses.

I just smiled up at her, feeling a little guilty about this whole situation. We didn't deserve to be spoiled. What we were doing was wrong on _so_ many levels.

But why did everything feel so right?

Mom left shortly after that, since she had to go rehearse downstairs.

"So, you wanna do something today?" Zack asked as he finished his breakfast.

"Like what?" I asked him after taking the last bite of mine.

"I dunno. I thought maybe we could go see a movie or something," he said, a slight tint of red appearing on his cheeks.

"Zacky… Are you asking me out on a date?" I asked, making him blush a little more.

"Oh, shut it! Do you wanna go see a movie or not?" he asked, pouting again.

I let out a small laugh before answering. "Nothing would make me happier."

He smiled at me before we got up to get ready. We thought it would be best if we saved third base for later, since mom might come back unexpectedly and catch us red-handed.

I threw on a pair of jeans and a green button-up shirt, with Zack wearing a black T-shirt and a pair of shorts. We brushed our teeth together and headed out the door, making our way over to the elevator.

As soon as the doors closed, Zack pushed me against the wall, crashing his needful lips against mine. We were so lost in the moment that we didn't even notice the elevator doors open three floors later.

"Uhm… Whatya doing…?" we heard someone ask awkwardly, causing us to jerk apart.

"London?" we both asked in total shock.

"I knew you both liked boys, but I really didn't think you liked each other," she said, surprisingly calm. "You two really are telepathetic!"

"London, please. You can't tell anyone about this," I said as the doors started closing again.

"Oh, alright," she replied, seeming a little disappointed. "I'll just tell Chelsea!" she added before skipping away.

"This is just great," I thought out loud as we started moving again.

"Don't worry. It's not like Chelsea knows who we are," Zack said reassuringly. "Now where were we?"

And just like that, I was up against the wall again, making out with my brother once more. I let out a euphoric sigh as we pulled apart a couple of minutes later, just in time for the elevator doors to open.

We stepped into the lobby and spotted Maddie at her usual post. She saw us and waved us over, looking extremely curious.

"Good morning," we said as we walked up to her.

"Morning... So, is everything okay between you guys again?" she asked, sounding excited.

"More than okay," Zack told her as he turned to face me. I stared into his gorgeous eyes and fought the urge to kiss him then and there.

"Awww," Maddie said as she saw the look we were sharing, clearly understanding what it meant. "I'm so happy for you guys."

"Thanks. And it's all thanks to you," Zack said, flashing her a smile. "If you didn't tell me to follow my heart, we wouldn't be standing here right now."

'_Wow, so Zack talked to Maddie, too?'_ I thought to myself as I smiled inwardly.

"Yeah, thanks for everything, Maddie," I said as I gave her a hug. "Now if you'll excuse us, Zack is about to take me out on a date."

As soon as I said that, Zack started blushing again. He shot me an angry look as Maddie just laughed.

We said goodbye to Maddie and made our way out the front door. We decided to walk to the theater, since it was only a few blocks away. And I had to fight the urge to hold Zack's hand the entire way there.

When we finally reached our destination, I smiled at how short the line was. _'Maybe we'd have the theater all to ourselves.'_

"Why don't you get us some tickets, and I'll grab us some popcorn," Zack said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Wow, you're letting me pick the movie?" I asked, a little shocked.

"Of course. You're my Juliet now…" he said, flashing me a smile that made my knees tremble.

Now it was my turn to blush… The deepest shade of red spread across my cheeks. Zack grinned triumphantly as he made his way over to the confectioneries, leaving me in my state of utter embarrassment. I smiled as I realized how lucky I was to have Zackary Martin in my life.

When I reached the front of the line, I got us two tickets for Valentines Day. Zack would never admit it, but I knew he was a closet romantic comedy lover. A few minutes later, he arrived at the door holding a huge tub of popcorn, and a single huge soda with two straws inside.

I just smiled at him as we made our way inside. There were a few people scattered about, so we weren't completely alone. We found two seats in the back row, arriving just in time for the previews to start.

A few minutes after the movie began, I saw Zack holding out his left hand. I gladly reciprocated the gesture, intertwining my fingers with his. I smiled at him as he placed a soft kiss on my lips before turning his attention back to the screen.

When the movie finally ended, we had kissed about 17 times. And without anyone noticing, too. Or so we thought…

As soon as we got outside, I was startled by a familiar voice that came from directly behind us.

"So… _This_ is why you dumped me…?" the voice said apathetically. "You're in love with your brother."

I shuddered as I realized who it was.

"Hello, Ryan."

* * *

><p>AN: Okay, I know I don't usually post these at the end of a chapter, but I'm making an exception for this awesome announcement... Long story and I are hosting the first ever Twincest Awards! But we're still in need of a few committee members to help out with the nominations and such. So, if you're interested in being a part of this, please feel free to send me a PM. Or, if you're just curious, you can check out the forum. It's called Twincest Gathering. Oh, and everyone who joins the committee will receive a complimentary cookie! ;)


	15. Secrets: Part 1

Hi guys!

Thanks to the following awesome people for reviewing... ilovesprouse, Animedog91, KatrinaEagle, You'reWhatMakesLifeWorthLiving, Vampwolf13, Long story, Austin Spencer, Telacast and Stonerose55... No new record this time, but you still get cookies for being awesome! :D

Also, thank you to Telacast and Hazel98 for the alerts/favorites! :)

Chapter 15 is gonna be a doozie... Lol.

Oh, and if you have the time, please check out my Suite Life collab with ilovesprouse... It's called Yoü and I, and it can be found under our joint account, BloodyQueenSprouse...

*Shameless advertising ends here...* xD

Anyway, on to the show!

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did! :P

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**Romeo and Juliet Redux **

**Chapter 15 - Secrets... Part 1  
><strong>

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P

I was completely overcome by fear. The only thing I could think of was the dream. The dream in which the mentally unstable person before me had murdered everyone I loved.

I had absolutely no idea what to do. How are you supposed to react in a situation like this, anyway? So I just stood there, wishing Ryan would eventually evaporate.

"Look, Ryan. I'm sorry you had your heart broken and all, but Cody just doesn't love you. It would be better for everyone if you moved on," Zack said sternly.

My eyes flickered towards Ryan, anxiously awaiting his reaction.

"Yes. Everyone but me," he replied morosely.

"Okay, that's it. If you don't leave my brother alone, I swear to God I'll kick your crazy ass!" Zack shouted.

I had no idea that he held this much animosity towards Ryan. He must've been really upset about what I told him this morning.

My eyes darted back in Ryan's direction again, just in time to see an evil smirk spread across his face. It almost looked exactly like Stefani's…

"I don't think you're in any position to threaten me, pretty boy…" he said, almost tauntingly.

"And why would that be?" Zack asked him, a little intrigued.

The smirk on Ryan's face grew wider as he started to approach my brother.

"You see, Zacky… Me and Stefani are holding all the cards now," he began, his voice barely audible.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he asked, grabbing Ryan by his shirt.

He moved his head forward, leaving barely an inch between their lips.

"It's quite simple, really. We have something that will completely destroy Cody's perfect little reputation, should it fall into the wrong hands..." he said simply, still smirking.

What the hell was he talking about? Zack let go of his shirt and looked him dead in the eye. "Prove it."

"You'll have to talk to Stef about that," he replied.

"You're bluffing," Zack said apathetically.

The smirk he held grew even more intense. "Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. But is that a chance you're willing to take?"

He leaned over again and whispered something in Zack's ear, then placed a kiss on his cheek before finally pulling away. Zack clenched his fists tightly as he watched him walk into the distance, his eyes filled with hate.

As soon as Ryan disappeared around the corner, Zack turned to face me.

"Let's go," he said, flashing me the fakest smile I'd ever seen.

I followed him as he started walking down the street, back towards the hotel. I decided to wait until we reached our destination before bombarding him with questions.

After a few minutes of total silence between us, we arrived at the place we call home. We made our way through the revolving door and into the lobby, where we spotted Maddie happily daydreaming at the candy counter.

"You go on ahead, I'll be up in a few," Zack said, turning to face me.

He tried to hide it, but there was a hint of fear in his eyes.

"Zack, what did Ryan tell you?" I asked him worriedly.

"It was nothing," he replied, staring at the floor. "Please just wait for me upstairs."

I looked at him for a few moments before nodding.

I walked over to the elevator and got inside, the vision of my brother's scared face slowly disappearing as the metal doors closed before me.

'_What the hell did Ryan tell him?'_ I thought to myself, unable to come up with a sensible answer. I stepped out of the elevator and headed over to our suite, sighing as I swiped my key card to get inside.

I was surprised to see my mom sitting on the couch, watching some weird Spanish soap opera.

"Hi honey!" she said, turning her head to smile at me. "Where's your brother?"

"In the lobby. He's talking to Maddie about something," I told her glumly.

I sat down next to her and involuntarily let out a giant sigh.

"What's the matter?" she asked, turning off the TV.

I thought about what I should tell her. The truth? No, she'd totally freak out. But maybe she'd have some advice. Moms are supposed to know everything, right?

"Mom? What do you think about incest?" I finally managed to ask her, mentally cursing myself for being so blunt.

"What? That's an odd thing to ask…" she said, looking at me weirdly.

"I know. It's just that… We're studying this really weird play at school. It's about two brothers falling in love, and how their exes became totally insane after that and tried everything in their power to drive them apart…" I told her, hoping she'd buy it.

"Really? Well, that's an interesting theme for a play..." she said, sounding a little baffled.

I just nodded and waited patiently for an answer.

"Well, true love always prevails in the end. So if these two brothers are really meant to be together, they'll probably be able to overcome these crazy exes and live happily ever after," she said, giving me a smile.

I couldn't stop myself from throwing my arms around her. In my mind it was like she just gave me permission to be in love with my brother.

"Thanks mom, it all makes sense now," I told her, getting up from the couch.

She gave me a confused smile before turning on the TV again. I made my way over to our room, opting to wait for Zack in there.

I walked over to my bed, nearly tripping over my backpack. I was about to put it away when all of a sudden I remembered the book that I'd checked out yesterday.

I studied the outside of the book for a while, wondering if I'd find the answers I was looking for inside. But then I decided that I didn't need it. The only thing I needed was Zack. And as long as I had my brother, everything would be okay.

I slowly drifted off to sleep, smiling.

**''''''''''''''''**

My eyes shot open when someone started kissing me. I couldn't help but smile into the kiss when I realized that it was my brother. My hands entangled themselves in his hair, with his hands roaming up and down my naked torso.

He started kissing my neck as he slowly pulled down my boxer briefs, exposing my throbbing cock. He started stroking me, gently, as he pulled his lips away from my neck. He placed a quick kiss on my lips before meeting my eyes.

I nodded, answering the question he was mentally asking me. He smiled a satisfied smile before replacing his hand with his mouth. I bucked my hips forward as I felt his lips wrap around my member. Zack immediately took my entire length into his mouth, bobbing his head up and down like he'd been doing this for years.

I moaned slightly as I got closer and closer to my release. Zack started massaging my balls with his left hand, sensing I was near.

"Zacky! I'm gonna…" I tried warning him, but it was too late.

I exploded into his mouth, experiencing the most intense orgasm I'd ever felt. He swallowed every last drop of my semen before meeting my eyes once more.

Our lips met in a sloppy kiss. I could taste my own cum in Zack's mouth, sending a pleasurable shiver down my spine. It was strangely erotic.

After a few seconds he pulled away, staring at me seductively.

"Ready for the next part?" he asked in that sexy tone of his, making me melt.

I nodded in anticipation.

Zack held out two of his fingers, which I happily took in my mouth. After they were completely coated with my saliva, he pulled them out. I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for what was to come.

I felt as he pushed both fingers into my entrance, making me wince. He began moving them in and out, slowly stretching my virgin hole. After a while he pulled out his fingers and replaced them with something a lot bigger.

He pushed in the head of his throbbing dick, waiting for a sign to go further. I nodded again and let out a pained moan as he slowly pushed in all the way, waiting for my insides to adjust to the intrusion.

A few seconds later he began pulling out, and pushed back in a little faster. Pretty soon the pain was gone and the only thing I could feel was pleasure. Zack continued to increase his pace, until he found the spot he was looking for.

I moaned loudly as he rammed into my prostate, sending waves of pleasure through my body. Zack held his pace, continuously slamming into my pleasure spot thrust after thrust. It wasn't long before I was completely hard again.

Zack began stroking me once more, the rhythm completely in sync with his thrusts.

A few minutes later, I felt Zack's member twitch inside me. I smiled and nodded at him, politely asking to be filled with his essence. He pulled out before thrusting back in as far as he could, erupting his load all over my insides. I started to tighten around him, squeezing out every last drop.

A few seconds later, I sprayed my second load over both our stomachs. Zack pulled out and collapsed on top of me, kissing me one last time.

"That. Was. Hot," he said as he pulled away.

I smiled and watched as he drifted off to sleep, completely exhausted.

"I love you Zack. So, so much."

**''''''''''''''''**

"Cody?" I heard someone say.

My eyes shot open and I saw Zack sitting next to me.

_'Oh my God! Did I just have a sex dream!'_

I sat up and looked over at my brother, who held a pained expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked him worriedly.

Tears began forming in his eyes as he opened his mouth to speak.

"We can't be together anymore," he said, wiping at the wetness in his eyes.

His words knocked the wind right out of me.

"Wh… what do you mean?" I asked in total disbelief.

He stood up and turned around before answering.

"I just… I just don't love you enough," he replied coldly, walking out the door.

* * *

><p>AN: Okay, I'm sorry for totally ruining the suspense again, but we're still in need of some committee members for the first ever Twincest Awards... If you're interested in helping out with the nomination process, *please* don't hesitate to send me a PM. Or, if you're just curious, you can check out the forum. It's called Twincest Gathering. And remember, we have lots of cookies! ;)


	16. Secrets: Part 2

Hi again!

Okay, thank you to ilovesprouse, KatrinaEagle, Vampwolf13, You'reWhatMakesLifeWorthLiving, love-for-bakas, Decimo619, Long story, phantomreg, Telacast and ADeadBlackRose for the reviews. Sorry for those of you who didn't like chapter 15, but if you haven't figured out that I'm particularly fond of drama you definitely haven't read the first 14 chapters...

Also, big thank you's to IchigoChu for the alert, and Wyntirsno for favoriting my baby... :)

I very much enjoyed writing this chapter! It has a strange mix between drama and fluffyness. Lol.

Oh, and if you don't mind, check out the other story I'm working on with ilovesprouse. It's called Yoü and I, and can be found under our joint account, Bloody Queen Sprouse.

Okay then, back to business! Here's chapter 16...

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did! :P

**''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

**Romeo and Juliet Redux **

**Chapter 16 - Secrets... Part 2  
><strong>

**''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

I shook my head in total disbelief.

'_What the fuck just happened?' _

I followed my brother into the living room, spotting him on the couch. I sat down on the other end and stared at him sternly.

"I should really kick your lying ass right now," I told him harshly, watching as he slowly turned to face me.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, deciding to play dumb.

"Oh come on Zack! Do you really expect me to believe that Ryan had nothing to do with this sudden decision of yours?" I miffed.

"Yes, I do. We just can't be together anymore, Cody. It's wrong," he told me bluntly, turning back to face the TV screen again.

"I know it's wrong. But we can _make_ it right…" I told him, almost pleading.

I couldn't just give up on us. Not this easily. I knew for certain that Ryan was behind all this.

"Zacky, please. I love you," I told him, hoping he'd repeat the words.

But he didn't.

"Codes, don't make this harder than it needs to be," he said coldly, not even sparing a look in my direction.

"Fine, be that way," I said as I got up and walked out the door.

I decided to talk to Maddie, since Zack probably told her everything. So I made my way down to the lobby, hoping she'd still be there. Which was highly unlikely, since it was already 7 o'clock.

When the elevator doors opened a few minutes later, I sighed in relief as I spotted her behind the candy counter. She was busy talking to London, who was apparently quite interested in the chess set on display.

"What are these do-hickeys?" I heard her ask, picking up one of the pieces. "Are they expensive? Do I want to buy them?"

"No, these are chess pieces," she told her, smiling a little bit. "It's a game that's been played for 5000 years."

"Well, then someone should have won already!" she exclaimed before scurrying away.

I couldn't help but laugh at her antics.

I walked over to Maddie as soon as London was gone, noticing the panic in her eyes when she saw me.

"Cody," she said, quickly putting on a fake smile. "What's up?"

"Could you explain to me why Zack suddenly doesn't 'love me anymore'?" I asked her, a little sarcastically.

And just like that her fake smile turned into a real frown.

"I can't. I'm sorry," she replied as she turned her attention towards the shelf of candy behind her.

"Maddie, please," I begged her, putting on the best sad expression I had in my arsenal. I had to find out what the hell those crazy people knew about me.

She turned to face me again, the wrinkles on her forehead indicating that she was actually contemplating telling me the truth.

"I promised Zack that I wouldn't say anything. But I can tell you that it's not because he doesn't love you," she said, giving me a reassuring smile.

"It's because of what Ryan said, isn't it?" I asked, refusing to give up.

She didn't say anything. She just looked at me, almost as if she was mentally asking me to just drop it.

"What did Zack tell you?" I asked her, ignoring her request. "Please, Maddie. I have to know."

She finally sighed in defeat.

"Apparently Stefani had a hidden camera in her room that recorded your little rendezvous…" she said. "And she's using it to blackmail Zack into leaving you."

"That bitch!" I blurted out before I could stop myself. "I'm gonna kill her!"

"Cody, calm down. You can't just go around killing people," she said, holding onto my shoulders. "You have to think about this rationally."

"I can't! Why is she doing this? Why can't she just let us be happy!" I half-shouted, finally losing my composure.

Maddie folded her arms around me and pulled me close. "It's okay. Everything's gonna be okay," she said in the most calming voice she could manage.

"How?" I asked her, tears building up in my eyes. "Nothing's gonna be okay if I can't be with Zack…"

She took my face in her hands and forced me to look into her eyes.

"I know. That's why we're gonna get that tape," she said, smiling mischievously.

"Thanks Maddie," I said in relief, wiping away the buildup of tears threatening to spill over my eyelids. "But how are we gonna get it?"

"Just tell me where she lives. London and I will take care of the rest," she said confidently.

"London?" I asked, a little shocked. "But London hates helping people."

"Not if one of the people she's helping just happens to be her girlfriend," she replied, winking at me.

I couldn't believe my ears. After all this time they finally realized that they were perfect for each other.

"Congratulations! It's about time!" I told her excitedly.

"Thanks! I still can't believe it either," she said, smiling. "But please don't tell anyone. It might damage London's public image if the media found out that she was dating the tragically poor candy counter girl…"

"London's words?" I asked her rhetorically before writing down the address on Maddie's notepad.

She just nodded before putting the notepad in her backpack.

"Thank you, Maddie. This really means a lot to me." I told her as soon as she was done.

"Of course," she said, flashing me a smile. "You and Zack belong together."

"You really think so?" I asked her, sounding insecure.

"I know so," she said reassuringly. "Just remember to put on your acting face at school tomorrow."

I cringed a little at the thought of going back to school.

"Now go get your man back..." she told me, giving me one last hug.

I gave her the biggest, brightest smile I had in my arsenal before making my way back to my brother. I practically ran up the stairs, far too excited to stop and wait for the elevator doors to open.

I finally stopped to catch my breath when I reached the door to our suite. I took a few deep breaths and opened it, finding Zack still nestled in front of the TV.

I walked over to where he was sitting and looked at him seductively. He held a confused expression on his face, which probably turned to shock as I pressed my lips against his.

He couldn't help but kiss me back after a few seconds, clearly loving this just as much as I did.

'_I don't love you enough' my ass…_

I sat down on his lap and deepened our kiss. When we finally had to pull away for air a few moments later, I found him staring into my eyes.

"Codes, we can't do this," he said reluctantly.

"It's okay, Zack. Maddie and London are gonna help us get that tape. You don't have to protect me anymore," I told him, smiling.

"London? But she hates helping people," he said, mimicking my words from earlier.

I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Love can make you do strange things, you know."

He just looked at me, dumbfounded. "London and Maddie? Really?"

"Yup," I replied, smiling at the confused look he still held on his face. He finally returned the smile a few minutes later, reaching out to kiss me again.

"Nope, no more kissing. You're being punished," I told him, pressing my finger against his lips.

"What? Why?" he asked in disbelief.

"For telling such a horrible lie," I replied.

"I only did that to protect you, remember?" he miffed.

"And I love you for that. But if you try to pull something like that ever again, I'm finding me another twin brother to date," I said teasingly, watching as the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile.

"Bet he won't be nearly as handsome as I am," he retorted before starting to kiss my neck.

I let out a soft moan as Zack's hands started to explore my torso underneath my shirt. I was just about to raise my arms so he could remove it completely when we heard the door click open. We jerked apart just in time to see our mom walking inside.

"What are you two still doing up? It's almost 9 PM," she said when she saw us sitting awkwardly on the couch.

We smiled innocently before getting up and walking over to our room.

"Night mom!" we called before shutting the door behind us.

"Goodnight! And if you're not asleep when I come back in ten minutes, I'm grounding you both for a week!" we heard her say through the door.

Crap. That meant no sleeping in Zack's bed tonight. It'd be a _little_ hard to explain since there wasn't going to be a thunderstorm anytime soon.

I gave my brother one last kiss, injecting it with as much emotion as I possibly could. When we finally pulled apart, he smiled at me, looking lovingly into my eyes.

"I love you, Cody Martin," he said.

I was completely overcome by euphoria as soon as those words left his mouth. I threw my arms around him, snuggling my face into his neck.

"I love you too" I replied as I pulled away, a single tear rolling down my cheek.

He wiped it away with his thumb, still smiling. "Now go get some rest. We'll figure everything out tomorrow."

I nodded and made my way over to my own bed, watching as Zack got into his. I stared at the ceiling for a few minutes before I drifted away to the most peaceful sleep that I'd ever had.

* * *

><p>AN: I think this is the first chapter that doesn't end with a cliffhanger... Lol. Anyway, we're still in need of some help with the first ever Twincest Awards. If you're interested in joining the committee, just send me a PM. Or voice your opinion over on the Twincest Gathering forum. Either way, we pay in cookies! ;)


	17. You Put Your What in His Where‽

As usual, some thank you's are in order...

ilovesprouse, Animedog91, alexanderrr, You'reWhatMakesLifeWorthLiving, Long story, Katrina Eagle, jfieldjr, Austin Spencer and Rhythm Shadowlight... Thank you guys so much for reviewing! *Really* appreciate it... :)

And another thank you to Rhythm Shadowlight for favoriting me as an author! It means a lot!

Oh, and a very special thank you to Long story for leaving the 100th review! :D

Okay, another doozie of a chapter... It has lots of fluff, LOTS of smexiness, and, of course, a little bit of drama...

Also, check out my collab with ilovesprouse if you love Dylan and Cole! It's called Yoü and I, and it can be found under our joint account, BloodyQueenSprouse. And *please* help us out with the Twincest Awards if you have some free time on your hands... ;)

Okay then. Here's chapter 17...

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did! :P

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**''****

**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 17 – You Put Your What in His Where‽**

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**''****

**''''''''''''''''**

I found myself standing outside a large chapel. Happiness and laughter emanated from the stone structure, which sounded like it held at least a hundred people.

At first I was confused, wondering what the hell I was doing here. But then I realized that I was wearing a wedding dress. And I had a veil. And London and Maddie were standing next to me, wearing matching pink dresses.

But it wasn't until the Wedding March started to play that I finally realized what was going on. I was getting _married_! I watched as my two apparent bridesmaids lead the way into the chapel, spreading rose petals all over the beautiful red carpet, usually reserved for only the most famous celebrities.

Then, all of a sudden, my dad came up behind me, smiling widely.

"You ready?" he asked, holding out his arm for me to take.

"Uhm… What's going on?" I asked awkwardly, still not really sure if this was happening or not.

"I'm giving you away, silly," he said, motioning towards his still extended arm.

I decided to go along with it, knowing that this had to be some kind of crazy dream again.

But what if it wasn't? Everything felt so real…

As my dad started escorting me down the aisle, I was met with an array of warm smiles and happy faces. I looked to the front of the chapel, hoping to catch a glimpse of my groom, but his face was shrouded in darkness. A wave of terror washed over me as a thought popped into my head.

'_Oh God. What if it's Ryan!'_

As we got closer, though, the darkness faded away. And I saw my brother's loving eyes staring back into my own.

When we finally reached the front of the aisle, my dad gave me a kiss on the forehead before turning his attention towards Zack.

"You better take good care of him," he said, making his way over to his seat.

I saw my mom sitting in the front row, tears of joy streaming down her face.

I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that everyone accepted our relationship like this. It all just felt so surreal.

But when I turned my attention towards my brother, all my insecurities were washed away. The love I saw in his eyes filled me with happiness. And the smile he held on his face gave me the courage to face anything.

He held out his hand, which I gladly took. And with that, we turned towards the priest, waiting anxiously to spend the rest of our lives together.

**''''''''''''''''**

I woke up at around 5 AM that morning, letting out a loud yawn as I forced myself to sit up straight. I found myself still smiling from the dream I'd just had.

I glanced around the room, spotting my brother's still sleeping form on his bed. I crawled out from under the covers and made my way over to him, staring at the truly serene beauty of his peaceful face.

I pulled back his covers and got into bed with him, smiling like a complete idiot when his eyes opened and he stared at me in surprise.

"Morning, sleepyhead," I told him, my face about an inch from his.

"What time is it?" he asked, letting out a yawn.

"It's 5 AM. I thought we could talk," I told him, hoping he'd see right through my little white lie.

And he did.

"Yeah right," he said, a slight smirk appearing on his face. "I know _exactly_ what you're here for."

And with that, he finally closed the distance between our lips. I pushed myself greedily into the kiss, instantly opening my mouth. Nothing came close to feeling Zack's tongue dancing around wildly with my own. I could feel Zack starting to smile, probably proud of the absolute pleasure he was causing me.

We pulled apart a few minutes later, practically gasping for air. I smiled at him, loving the look of contentment he held on his face.

"You have no idea how much I love you," I told him, meeting his lips once more.

I felt myself growing harder and harder as the passion between us exploded. And before I knew it, I was completely overcome by lust. I pushed my hands up my brother's shirt, letting them roam all over his torso. He started kissing my neck, moving lower and lower until his lips met the fabric of my shirt.

"Let's get rid of these, shall we?" he asked rhetorically, pulling the bothersome piece of fabric over my head before mimicking the action with his own.

A lustful smile spread across my face as I stared at my brother's naked torso, practically drooling at the sight. I latched forward, attacking his lips again, surprising us both with my sudden lack of self control.

Now it was my turn to give Zack goosebumps. I began my assault on his neck, placing a few soft kisses up and down the side as his hands began exploring my body. I bit down hard when my mouth was just above his collarbone, leaving a relatively visible mark of ownership. Zack was mine, and no one was ever taking him away from me.

I moved my head lower, following my lust-driven instincts. I placed a few more soft kisses down the front of his chest as his hands continued to roam all over my back. I licked his stomach seductively, loving the rippling feeling of still-developing muscles beneath my tongue. I looked up to see Zack looking back down at me, seemingly shocked by my complete lack of inhibitions.

"Did you just lick my abs?" he asked, smirking teasingly.

"Do you like it?" I asked back, trying to sound sexy.

"Hmmm… But I think I'd like it even more if you helped me out with that little problem down _there_," he said seductively, pointing at the very visible bulge in his black boxer briefs.

"I thought you'd never ask," I told him, smiling hungrily.

I had always wondered what Zack tasted like. And I couldn't believe that I was about to find out.

I hooked my fingers around the waistband of the soft material, pulling it down in one fluent motion. I let out an unconscious gasp as Zack's incredibly beautiful cock sprang to life before me. Not even in that sex dream was it anywhere near this gorgeous.

Without even thinking I wrapped my lips around the head, absolutely loving the sensation. I started licking it frantically, trying to coat it with as much saliva as I possibly could. Zack was big, so I was gonna need a lot of lubrication to do this properly.

When I finally felt ready, I moved my mouth down, taking my brother's length in as far as I possibly could. I started to choke when it was about halfway in, so I pulled back. Now that I knew my limit, I could begin bobbing my head up and down. Slowly.

I listened to Zack's soft moans, an indication that I was clearly doing something right. I sped up my movements a little until I found a pace I was comfortable with, even managing to take his length almost all the way in after a while.

Zack's moans started to grow louder and more frequent. His hands tangled viciously in my hair, pushing my head down a little bit further every time. I smiled as I felt his dick starting to tighten in my mouth, knowing that I'd be able to taste my brother's essence soon.

"Codes, I'm gonna… Ah!" he shouted as he sprayed the inside of my mouth with his semen.

I tried to swallow as much as I could, but he just kept on blowing load after load. I finally had to pull off, the last bit of Zack's intense orgasm erupting onto my face. I smiled at his euphoric expression, loving the feeling of his delicious cum dripping down my chin.

He smiled back at me, an absolute look of euphoria plastered across his beautiful face. But just as he was about to reconnect our lips, a booming voice from the door made my heart stop.

"What the _fuck _is going on here‽"


	18. A Mother's Love

Time for some thank you's... :)

ilovesprouse, You'reWhatMakesLifeWorthLiving, Vampwolf13, love-for-bakas, Rhythm Shadowlight, jfieldjr, KatrinaEagle, Long story and melaniemelodramatic - thank you guys for reviewing! I always love reading your feedback. Not to sound corny or anything, but it really keeps me going! Lol.

And also, thanks to domijavonillo and melaniemelodramatic for the alerts/favorites! :D

I really liked writing this chapter. But be warned, there is absolutely no fluff this time around...

Hope you guys like it!

Oh, and remember to check out the story I co-wrote with ilovesprouse called Yoü and I. We're ending it soon, so you might wanna check it out before then. It can be found under our joint account, BloodyQueenSprouse.

And check out the mini-story I wrote for the first ever Twincest Awards! :)

Alright then. On to the show...

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did! :P

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 18 – A Mother's Love  
><strong>

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

"What the _fuck _is going on here‽" the voice asked again, even louder this time.

I literally fell off my brother's bed out of shock.

I saw him quickly pull the covers over himself to conceal his nudity from the now furious woman standing by the door. But I was sure that she'd already seen _way _more than she was supposed to.

"It's not what it looks like!" Zack blurted out, his voice filled with panic.

I was far too scared to reveal myself from my hiding spot. So I just stayed there, on the floor, wishing it would open up and swallow me.

"Put on some clothes and get out here. NOW!" my mother's voice boomed through the room, striking fear into my very core.

I got up and looked at my brother as soon as I heard the door being shut. He looked back at me, and I could see that he was just as scared as I was.

"Shit. This can't be good," he said worriedly.

I just nodded like a complete idiot, not knowing what else to do. I handed him his black boxer briefs that I threw onto the floor just a couple of minutes ago, watching as he pulled them on. We both grabbed some more clothes and started making our way over to the door. Slowly.

"Whatever happens… Just remember that I love you," my brother told me, looking deeply into my eyes.

I threw my arms around him, forcing back my tears. "I love you too, Zacky…"

He took in a deep breath before wrapping his hand around the doorknob. My heart rate practically doubled as he slowly pulled open the door, revealing our very angry mother waiting for us in the living room.

"How long has this been going on?" she asked, trying her best to remain calm.

I looked over at Zack, wishing I could hold onto his hand for support. But that was definitely out of the question.

"Only a couple of days," I told her, hoping for some reason that it would count in our favor.

"And we haven't gone past third base," Zack added, trying his best to help.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" she asked, her eyes filled with anger and disgust. "You're brothers! Twins! You're not even supposed to make it to first base!"

"We can't help that we love each other, mom! We didn't ask for this to happen," I heard Zack retaliate.

"Love? This isn't love! This is incest!" she shouted, trying her best to keep her voice down. "I'm sorry, but I can't allow this."

"Wh… what do you mean?" I asked her, forcing back more tears.

"Cody, go to your room," she said stoically, keeping her eyes on Zack.

"Bu-but…" I tried to interject.

"NOW!" she said impatiently, cutting me off.

I did as I was told and headed back towards the bedroom. I closed the door behind me, but kept my ear tightly pressed against the hard piece of wood, hoping I'd still be able to hear what was going on outside.

"I'm taking you to live with your aunt in Nebraska," I heard my mother say, almost feeling the pain in her voice as the words left her mouth.

"What? Why?" Zack retaliated, his voice filled with anger.

"What you two are doing is wrong. In so many ways. I just can't allow it, Zack. I'm sorry," she said regrettably.

"But mom!" Zack said, his voice overcome by sadness. "I love him!"

"I know you do. But we're going to make that go away," she said in a barely audible whisper.

I fell to the floor, unable to process what was happening. I covered my face with my hands, and allowed the tears I've been forcing back this whole time to fall.

After that, everything just went black…

''''''''''''''''

When I awoke, I was surrounded by darkness. I could barely see my hand in front of my face.

I squinted and blinked a couple of times, allowing my eyes to adjust to the abyssal blackness.

When they finally did, I looked around at my surroundings, trying to figure out where I was. I recognized the intricate pattern on the stone walls, knowing that I'd seen it somewhere before. A cold shiver ran down my spine as I realized that I was back in the graveyard mansion from before.

'_Is this another dream?'_ I thought to myself, looking around frantically for a way out. But there was none.

So I did the only thing I could do and headed down the dark hallway. A few minutes later, I reached the familiar throne room once more.

"Welcome back, Cody Martin," the eerie voice bellowed expectedly from somewhere within.

"What the fuck do you want with me‽" I shouted, my voice echoing off the dark walls.

But before it could answer, everything went completely black again. And all I could hear was the faint sound of laughter as I slowly drifted back to reality.

''''''''''''''''

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a sea of white. I figured I was in a hospital bed, since there was a drip attached to my left hand.

I glanced around the room, hoping to find someone who could tell me what was going on. But the room was completely empty.

The last thing I remembered was giving Zack a blowjob. It was the most wonderful thing I'd ever experienced.

Suddenly the memories came flooding back. My mom had walked in on us just after Zack had cum inside my mouth. Then she told him that she was sending him away to live with our aunt in Nebraska. And that's when I fell apart inside.

I pushed the button that was hanging next to me, summoning the nurse. I had to find out where Zack was. A few seconds later, a tall brunette woman walked casually through the door, smiling as soon as she saw me.

"Welcome back," she said as she reached the foot of my bed, checking the file that was lying on the table. "You gave us quite a scare."

"Why? What happened?" I asked her, confused by her last sentence.

"You've been sleeping for quite a while," she said, looking up at me. "You're mother was really worried."

"Where's Zack?" I asked her again, ignoring her previous statement.

"Who's Zack?" she asked, giving me a questioning look.

"My boyfr… Uh, I mean my brother," I told her, silently cursing my mental lapse.

She smiled knowingly as she started taking my blood pressure.

"You mentioned him a lot in your sleep. I wondered who he was," she said as she wrote something in the file.

"How long was I out?" I asked, unable to remember any of my dreams.

Except for the one I'd just woken up from, of course.

"Three days," she replied, placing a thermometer under my arm.

"Wow," I said, a little taken aback.

"But only your mom's been here, though. And a friendly blonde girl named Maddie. Maybe Zack just doesn't like hospitals?" she told me, trying her best to sound reassuring.

But I knew exactly why Zack hasn't been here yet. Mom more than likely posted him off to Nebraska already. I had to get out of here so I could go find him.

But just when I was about to make my daring escape, the very woman I despised at the moment came walking through the door.

"Oh good, you're awake!" she exclaimed, rushing to my side.

She threw her arms around me and sighed in relief. But I couldn't bring myself to return the hug.

"Where's Zack?" I asked stoically, looking her in the eyes.

"Honey, please. Not now," she said, gesturing towards the nurse who was still busy writing something in my file.

"Where's Zack?" I repeated, ignoring her request.

"Excuse me, miss. Could you give us a minute?" she asked the nurse, giving her a friendly yet threatening smile.

"Of course," she replied, placing the file in its holder before making her way towards the door.

"Where's my brother?" I asked her a third time, not even bothering to wait until the nurse was out of the room.

"He's with Aunt Lisa. He's fine," she said, smiling an awkward smile.

"I can't believe you sent him to Nebraska!" I yelled, tears starting to form in my eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you loved us!"

"That's exactly why I'm doing this, Cody!" she yelled back. "I can't let you two be together. It's not healthy."

"Not healthy? That's your excuse?" I asked in total disbelief, staring angrily at the woman before me.

"Please, you have to understand," she said as she took hold of my hands, a strange look appearing on her face. "Being together will destroy your lives."

"How? Why? Just because a few people won't approve of our relationship?" I retaliated. "We love each other, and that's all that matters!"

I waited for her reply, but it never came. She just looked at me, her eyes filled with unspilt tears. She stood up and headed for the door, turning around just as she reached it.

"You'll understand someday…" she said as she disappeared into the hallway.


	19. That's What Friends Are For

Thank you to the following reviewers... You'reWhatMakesLifeWorthLiving, KatrinaEagle, love-for-bakas, ilovesprouse, melaniemelodramatic, Rhythm Shadowlight, Long story and phantomreg. You're all awesome! Thanks for motivating me to keep going... :)

And thanks to Rhythm Shadowlight for favoriting my baby! :)

Here's the next installment. Hope you guys like it!

Oh, and check out my other story, Cause You're Hot, if you haven't yet...

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did! :P

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**'''''''''****'''''''****

**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 19 – That's What Friends Are For  
><strong>

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**'''''''''****'''''''****

Three weeks have passed since mom had sent Zack away. And we've had absolutely no contact ever since.

And even though I'm dying inside, I have to force myself to pretend that everything's fine. Maybe if mom sees me smiling every now and then, she'll think I'm over my so called infatuation with my brother. And maybe then she'll let him come back. I knew it was a long shot, but I just had to try. I didn't know how much longer I'd be able to go on living without him.

Ever since he left, there's been this giant, gaping hole in my heart. And I just can't think about anything other than him. Not even school. In fact, I got my very first B just yesterday...

And I didn't even care.

I ended up dropping out of the school play, since Zack was the only reason I was in it in the first place. And I just couldn't face those two evil bastards who tried their damnest to break us up. Ryan, surprisingly, left me alone. Probably plotting some kind of evil, sadistic scheme in the back of that twisted mind of his. And Stefani… Let's just say that if looks could kill, I would've been long dead by now.

At least Barbara was supportive. She's really the one who kept me sane through this entire ordeal. And Maddie, of course. But no matter how hard anyone tried, they just couldn't fill the void inside me.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I heard Barbara ask, sitting next to me at the cafeteria table.

We had the table to ourselves today, since Amy and Jean-Pierre were out sick. And Stefani, who was now best friends with Ryan, sat a few tables away, never once taking her hate-filled eyes off me.

"I miss him, Barbs. So much…" I told her, trying my best to hold back the endless stream of tears that was threatening to break loose any minute.

"Shh, it's okay," she said, rubbing my back in consolation. "Everything's gonna be okay."

"How can you say that? Zack's gone…" I said despondently, staring blankly at the untouched plate of mashed potatoes before me.

"You two are meant to be together. And no matter how hard anyone tries to tear you apart, you'll always find your way back to each other," she said, giving me a reassuring smile.

"You really think so?" I asked her, a tiny glint of hope in my voice.

"I know so," she said confidently, just in time for the bell to ring.

She hugged me tightly, pushing me away a few seconds later to look me in the eyes.

"I have a plan," she told me softly, almost whispering. "I'll text you the details later."

I just nodded and gave her a small smile, watching as she made her way over to her next class.

"So, how does it feel?" I heard someone ask from behind me, causing me to turn around.

"Stefani? What do you want?" I asked her, trying to avoid her scathing eyes.

"How does it feel to know he doesn't love you anymore?" she repeated, an eerie smirk appearing on her face.

"Why the hell do you hate me so much?" I asked her suddenly.

"Because you stole him from me!" she yelled, her smirk turning into a grimace. "And I'll never, ever forgive you for that..."

And for a moment, I could actually see the pain in her eyes. I could actually feel the pain she was feeling. But before I could say anything, she disappeared into the corridors.

The rest of the day passed by like a blur. And before I even knew it, I was sitting on the school bus. I was just about to lose myself in my thoughts again, when all of a sudden I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out quickly, hoping with all my heart that Zack had found a way to contact me. But once again, my hopes were crushed when I realized that it was just a text from Barbara.

_**My aunt is really close with some guys at the airport. We managed to get you a ticket to Nebraska. But it's only valid for this weekend...**_

_**I'll call your mom later and tell her you need to spend the weekend with me since we have a huge chemistry project that's due Monday, so just go along with it.**_

_**B**_

I couldn't believe what I'd just read. Maybe things were actually taking a turn for the better. I smiled like an idiot at the screen as I sent her a text back.

_**Thank you thank you thank you! :D  
><strong>_

Just then, the bus pulled up in front of the hotel. I ran through the front door and up to Maddie, feeling an overwhelming urge to share the good news with someone.

"Maddie! Guess what!" I shouted, causing her to look up from the magazine she was reading.

"Hey kiddo. What's up?" she replied, smiling when she saw how excited I was.

After checking the lobby for any signs of my mother, I leaned over the counter and indicated for Maddie to do the same.

"One of my friends at school got me an airline ticket to Nebraska!" I whisper-shouted, having a hard time containing my sheer excitement at the prospect of seeing my brother again.

"That's great!" she replied, a genuinely happy smile appearing on her face.

"I know!" I said excitedly, displaying a happy smile of my own. "But please. If my mom asks, I'm spending the weekend at Barbara's…"

"Got it," she said, giving me a wink.

I gave her one last smile before running over to the elevator, trying to keep my excitement under control. It would definitely cause some suspicion if my mother saw me like this.

A few minutes later, I found myself taking one last deep breath before opening the suite door, letting out a huge sigh of relief when I realized that she wasn't back yet. I plopped down at the table and got out my books, about to do my homework for the first time in three weeks.

About half an hour later, I heard the door open and saw my mom step inside with a huge bag of groceries.

"Hi mom," I said as she made her way over to the kitchen.

"Hi honey! Thought I'd try something special tonight," she said as she placed the bag on top of the counter.

I just put on a fake smile as I heard those words for the umpteenth time. Ever since she ripped my heart to shreds by sending Zack away, she tried to do something 'special' for dinner almost every night.

I just shook my head as she disappeared into the bathroom, turning my attention back to my history assignment.

Just when she emerged from the door a few minutes later, the phone rang.

"Oh, hi Barbara!" I heard her say as she picked up the phone, instinctively crossing my fingers.

Barbara's plan had to work. It just had to.

"Yeah, sure, I guess. If it's okay with your mom…" I heard her say a little reluctantly, but she finally gave in when she heard that it was, in fact, okay with Mrs. Brownstein.

I had to hand it to Barbara. For a bona fide good girl, she was a very convincing liar.

"Guess you're spending the weekend at Barbara's," my mom told me, finally hanging up the phone.

I just gave her a small smile, trying my best to conceal the absolute ecstasy that was hiding behind it.

We ended up having bacon and toast for dinner, since my mom burnt the fancy piece of meat she was trying to prepare. At least I think it was meat.

As soon as I took my last bite, I noticed that my mom held a serious look on her face.

"Cody, I'm truly sorry for sending him away. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me someday," she said, a look of repentance replacing the serious one.

I honestly had no idea what to say. Even though she was hurting us both like hell, I still couldn't bring myself to hate her. She was still my mother. But forgiveness was out of the question. At least for now.

I just forced a fake smile onto my face before excusing myself from the table.

"Night mom," I told her, making my way over to the bathroom.

"Night honey. I love you," I heard her say before closing the door, unable to reciprocate the words for some reason.

I finished brushing my teeth and headed for my bedroom, falling onto Zack's bed as soon as I reached it.

I pressed my face into his pillow, hard, hoping I'd still be able to find a trace of my brother's scent somewhere within. I smiled as I found what I was looking for, and wished that I could dream about him just this once.

"I love you, Zacky," I spoke into his pillow, finally drifting off to sleep.


	20. Happiness Is But a Lifetime Away

Hey guys! Sorry for my little one-week hiatus, I had some 'issues' to deal with... :/

I'm happy/sad to announce that this will be the final chapter of my baby... Thank you so much to everyone who's supported me from the beginning, and thanks to everyone who took the time to review over the course of the last four months. I really appreciate/love you all!

I'm dedicating this chapter, in its entirety, to my dear friend Austin Spencer. Thank you for everything. I really hope you get to read this, wherever you may be...

As for the previous chapter... ilovesprouse, KatrinaEagle, Rhythm Shadowlight, Long story, darkblue91, brkayace and funni neko; thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them!

And thanks to lunatari23, darkblue91 and funni neko for the alerts/favorites. :)

Okay. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but for the very last time, onto the show! Brace yourselves, people...

PS. I do not own the rights to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But it would be totally awesome if I did! :P

A/N: Hey guys! Just wanted to thank everyone who's reviewed, favorited and/or followed since my last update. You guys are all awesome!

Also, I noticed that there are a few errors here and there (like the interrobang not working, for example), so I'll be systematically fixing those as well.

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**Romeo and Juliet Redux**

**Chapter 20 - Happiness Is But a Lifetime Away**

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I woke up at 5 AM the next morning and practically jumped out of bed. I grabbed some clothes from my dresser and made my way over to the shower, turning on the warm water as soon as I got inside.

I stepped underneath the calming spray when the temperature was just right, allowing it to wash all my troubles away. The only thing that could've possibly made this moment any more perfect was if Zack were standing next to me.

I lathered up my loofah and started scrubbingaway at my body. I tried my best to steer clear of any thoughts of my brother when I reached my groin area, and surprised myself when I actually accomplished my goal.

I wrapped a towel around my waist as I stepped out into the cold air, heading over to the sink to brush my teeth. I dressed myself at record speed, and headed back to my room to blowdry my hair.

Since mom was still asleep, I decided to start packing my suitcase. I wasn't sure exactly what to pack, so I practically crammed my entire wardrobe in there. After about half an hour of struggling, I was finally done.

I wheeled my suitcase into the living room, completely oblivious to the thought that the noise might wake my still-sleeping mother.

"Cody honey... It's Saturday morning. Why are you up sp early?" I heard my mom ask, reluctantly sitting up in her sofa bed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," I told her, giving her an apologetic look.

"What's with the suitcase?" she asked groggily, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm spending the weekend at Barbara's, remember?" I told her, not even realizing that I was blatantly lying to the woman who's been raising me for the last sixteen years.

"You do realize that the weekend has only two days, right?" she asked sarcastically, pointing at the enormous suitcase that was now resting against the wall.

I just gave her an awkward smile as I made my way over to the kitchen to cook some breakfast.

"Bacon and eggs?" I asked my mom, taking out the ingredients from the fridge.

"Yes, please!" she exclaimed, smiling excitedly.

After a few more minutes of laziness, she finally got up and made her way over to the bathroom. I finished setting the plates just as she stepped back out.

"So, what kind of project are you and Barbara working on?" she asked suddenly, causing me to have an internal panic attack.

I tried my best to steady my voice before answering. But just as I was about to expand my web of lies, the phone rang.

"Hello?" my mom said through the receiver of the wonderful device that just saved my life. "What? But it's my day off! Oh, alright…"

"What's wrong?" I asked her as soon as she put down the phone, an irritable look now sprawled across her face.

"My stand-in for tonight cancelled. Now I have to rehearse an entire night's performances in one afternoon!" she miffed before making her way over to the door. "Sorry about breakfast, honey. Guess I'll see you tomorrow. Love you."

And with that, she was gone. I let out an enormous sigh of relief as soon as the door closed, not even realizing that I'd been holding my breath up until now. I placed my mom's plate in the microwave, and finished my own breakfast as fast as I could. I had to get out of there before mom realized she forgot something.

I stacked the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and brushed my teeth one last time before heading out the door.

When I reached the lobby a few minutes later, I saw Maddie waving at me from her usual post.

"Morning kiddo. What time's your flight?" she asked as soon as I reached her, making sure to keep her voice down.

"9:30," I told her excitedly, a huge grin plastered across my face.

She returned the smile, although it quickly turned into a look of concern. "Wait… Won't your aunt call your mom the second you show up at her doorstep?"

"That's why Barbara's coming along. She's gonna pretend to be one of Zack's friends from school and tell him to sneak out tonight."

"You guys really have this all figured out, don't you?" she said, smiling admiringly.

"Yup," I replied smugly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my cool Nebraska guy awaits…"

She stepped out from behind her workplace and gave me a warm hug. "Be careful. And tell Zack I said 'hi'…"

I gave her one last smile before making my way over to the front door. And as soon as I stepped outside, I saw Barbara waiting for me, suitcase in hand.

"Morning Juliet. Ready to be reunited with your Romeo?" she asked as soon as she saw me, a look of excitement spread across her face.

I blushed a little before finally replying. "Thanks again for doing this Barbara. It really means a lot to me."

She hugged me tightly as soon as the words left my mouth. "You're welcome. Now, let's go. We don't wanna miss our flight, do we?"

I shook my head and followed her over to the cab that was waiting in front of the hotel. We put our suitcases in the trunk and got in, asking the driver to take us to the airport.

About half an hour later, we finally arrived at our destination. I handed the driver his money, and after we got our luggage out of the trunk, we made our way inside. We headed over to the boarding area, initiating the overly-long boarding process.

We were practically just in time for the plane doors to close. We made our way over to our seats, which turned out to be business class. Barbara asked for the aisle seat, claiming that she always got airsick when she sat next to the window.

"Thanks again Barbara. I don't know how I'll ever make this up to you," I told her, finally sitting down.

"Seriously, Cody. If you thank me one more time I swear I'm having you thrown off this plane!" she said teasingly, although there was a slight hint of irritability in her voice.

I put on a half-hearted smile and sighed heavily as I lay my head back against the headrest, thoughts of my brother making their way into my mind. And a few minutes after take-off, I couldn't hold my eyes open any longer.

**''''''''''''''''**

"Zack…" I suddenly heard myself say, looking into my brothers mournful eyes.

"What are you doing here, Cody?" he asked me, sounding almost disdainful.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" I asked him, saddened by my brother's sudden display of apathy.

"I'm with someone else now," he told me, his eyes still glued to the ground. "Someone I actually love."

"What are you saying? You never really loved me?" I asked in total shock, tears starting to form in my eyes.

"No," he replied simply, walking away.

I just stood there in the darkness, holding a dagger against my heart.

**''''''''''''''''**

My eyes shot open as I felt something warm seeping down my chest.

"Cody? Are you alright?" I heard Barbara ask me, her voice filled with concern.

I looked down at my shirt, wondering why she wasn't panicking at the sight of my blood. But then I realized that it wasn't blood, it was water. Or more specifically, tears.

"You've been crying for a while now," she told me, drying my tear stained cheeks.

"I'm sorry," I told her, averting my gaze towards the window.

This had been the absolute worst dream I'd ever had. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get rid of the empty feeling it left me with. What if Zack never really did love me?

"Cody…" I heard Barbara say as I felt her grasping my hand in her own. "Everything's gonna be fine. Zack loves you. And nothing will ever change that."

"How did you…? I asked in complete disbelief.

"You talk in your sleep…" she pointed out, a slight smile appearing on her face.

But no matter how hard I tried to, I just couldn't reciprocate the gesture.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we'll be arriving in Omaha shortly. Please put on your seatbelts as we begin our descent," I heard the flight attendant say in her overly friendly voice.

I strapped myself in, watching as Barbara did the same. And a few minutes later, I could feel the plane starting to drop.

"Do you really think he'll be happy to see me?" I asked my friend, hoping her answer would make me feel better.

"Of course. He'll be the happiest boy in the world. Other than you, of course," she said, smiling reassuringly.

And this time, I _was_ able to return the smile.

After we disembarked and got our luggage, we headed out of the airport towards the car that was waiting for us. Turns out Barbara had arranged for a driver to take us straight to my aunt's house.

"You really thought of everything, didn't you?" I asked her a little snidely, also adding a sincere smile to the mix.

"Of course," she replied proudly, smiling back at me.

We stopped in front of a huge building a few minutes later. I looked over at Barbara, who let out a small laugh at the confused look on my face.

"You didn't think I'd make you hide behind your aunt's mailbox, did you?" she said, still laughing.

"You are an amazing person, Ms. Brownstein," I told her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "If I wasn't madly in love with my twin brother, I'd totally marry you."

"Yeah, yeah. Now go check in. The reservation is under Martin. I'll be back with Zack a little later," she told me, shooing me out of the car.

I grabbed our bags from the trunk and started making my way over to the huge building that stood before me. It wasn't until I reached the front door that I noticed the giant T emblazoned everywhere.

'_That girl truly has a sense of humour like no other…'_ I thought to myself before finally heading inside.

I walked over to the front desk to check in, getting our two room keys from the surprisingly friendly manager. The lobby looked almost exactly the same as the one back in Boston.

I took the elevator to the 17th floor, in search of the suites Barbara had booked for us. But when the elevator doors opened, I saw the very last person I expected to see.

"Fancy meeting you here…" she said, an evil glint shining in her doll-like eyes.

"Stefani? What the hell are you doing here?" I asked her, instinctively backing away.

But I stopped dead in my tracks when she pointed a gun at me.

"Not so fast, pretty boy…" she said as she cocked it, emphasizing the authority she now had over me. "You're not going anywhere."

"What do you want from me?" I asked her, tears suddenly building up in my eyes.

"I want you to feel the pain that I felt. I want to break your heart into a million pieces, just like you broke mine. You're finally going to pay for taking Zack away from me…"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! But it's not my fault that he chose me over you! I never forced him to do anything!" I shouted, the tears finally spilling over my eyelids.

"Shut up! It _is_ your fault! _Everything_ is your fault!" she shouted back, pointing the gun straight at me.

I closed my eyes, expecting the bullet to pass through me at any second. But it never came.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna kill you…" she told me, completely calm again. "Not yet, anyway. Now open the damn door."

I did as I was told and made my way over to room 1708, shivering as I felt the cold steel of the gun pressed firmly against my back. I used the key card to unlock the door before Stefani pushed me inside.

"Is Ryan with you?" I asked her suddenly, wondering why he hadn't made an appearance already.

"That idiot?" she asked irritably. "He outgrew his usefulness…"

"What do you mean?" I asked her, trying to swallow the lump that was forming in my throat.

But instead of answering, she just walked over to the window. She sat down on the windowsill, glancing outside every so often, but never averting her gaze from me for more than a second.

After about an hour of absolute silence passed, a sudden look of excitement spread across her face.

"Alright, they're here. Now the fun can finally begin!" she said, a demented laugh escaping her throat.

Now my heart really started to beat uncontrollably. _'What exactly was she planning…?'_

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Stefani got up to unlock it, still not taking her eyes off me for an instant.

As soon as I saw my brother walk through the door, I ran up to him and threw my arms around him.

"Zack! Thank God!" I said as I squeezed him tightly, tears of joy rolling down my face.

"Cody! I've missed you so much…" I heard him say as he pulled me as close to him as was humanly possible.

"Aww, how touching," Stefani said from behind the door, causing Zack to jump at the sound of her voice.

"Codes, what the hell is _she_ doing here?" he asked me, a look of confusion spreading across his face.

"I don't know. She was waiting for me when I got here," I told him, trying to hide the fear in my eyes. "I have no idea how she knew I'd be here."

"I told her…" I heard Barbara's voice emanating from the door.

"What? How could you?" I asked her in disbelief, unable to accept the fact that she would betray me like this. "I thought we were friends…"

"Sorry Cody, but friendship won't pay my family's medical bills. And with the crap load of money Stefani's paying me, I'll never have to worry about living in poverty ever again."

I just stood there, unable to comprehend what was happening. Everything was becoming too much to bear.

"Cody, I love you. I will always love you. Never forget that," I suddenly heard Zack say.

He brought our lips together for the first time in what felt like years, but the kiss was unlike any of the others we've shared. It was almost as though it was filled with sadness. With regret. And after he pulled away to look deeply into my eyes, everything happened too fast for me to understand.

Zack lunged himself at Stefani, trying to dislodge the gun from her hands. Someone shouted as the two of them hit the floor, wrestling for possession of the weapon. And then… It went off.

Barbara rushed out of the room, crying profusely. Stefani followed suit, mumbling something about how it wasn't supposed to end like this. Someone appeared at the door, apparently phoning for an ambulance. And Zack just continued laying there, the pool of blood beneath him growing larger by the minute

There was only one thing left for me to do now.

I pushed myself off the floor, made my way over to the kitchen, pulled out the sharpest knife I could find, and knelt beside my brother's lifeless body...

_"O happy dagger!_

_This is thy sheath;_

_there rust, and let me die."_


End file.
